City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Capital Delivery Services - Public Affairs Office 512-974-7111 Email
Construction begins on phase of the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project
The Capital Delivery Services Department will begin Phase 1 of construction on the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project this Saturday, August 26. Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and construction of Phase 1 is expected to wrap up in Spring 2024. During construction Mearns Meadow Boulevard will be closed to through traffic from Rutland Drive to Parkfield Drive. Detour signage will be posted to guide travelers in the area.
During construction equipment operators will excavate a 20' deep trench along Mearns Meadow Boulevard to install 13-foot by 10-foot concrete box culverts. Upon completion of the project, floodwater will be diverted to these box culverts, which will run under Mearns Meadow Boulevard from Quail Valley Boulevard to the Mearns Meadow Detention Pond in Quail Creek Park. The culvert will be installed in four phases of construction along Mearns Meadow Boulevard. Breaking construction into different phases will limit the extent of road closures throughout the project. Upon completion of each phase, the impacted segment of Mearns Meadow Boulevard will be repaved and reopened to through traffic.
The Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project aims to reduce flooding for homes and roads near Little Walnut Creek. The project is managed by Capital Delivery Services in partnership with Austin Watershed Department and includes a pipe to carry floodwaters, pond improvements at Quail Creek Park, and upgrades to wastewater pipes. To date the project contractor has focused on pond improvements near Rutland Drive to improve water quality and reduce flooding in the area. The anticipated completion of all four construction phases is early 2026.
Learn more about the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project.
About Austin Capital Delivery Services:
The City of Austin's Capital Delivery Services department is dedicated to capital improvement project implementation. It creates the infrastructure that residents use every day and involves the planning, design, construction, and inspection of new or renovated public facilities.