Austin Watershed Protection

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The Confluence

The Confluence is the second phase of the Waterloo Greenway project. It includes the restoration and reconstruction of approximately 13 acres along Waller Creek between 4th Street and Lady Bird Lake within the Waller Creek District.

Key Contacts:

Join the City of Austin and Waterloo Greenway Conservancy on Saturday, June 6, 2026, for the grand opening of Waterloo Greenway Phase II: The Confluence. Admission is free and open to the public. The celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, park tours, interactive and sensory-friendly scavenger hunts, face painting, family-friendly activities, live music, art, and more. Parking will be available for $5 at the Austin Convention Center 5th Street Garage at 601 E. 5th Street. Ridesharing and the use of public transit are also encouraged.

The Confluence features:

  • Stabilization of the creek banks and improved water quality from 4th Street to Lady Bird Lake.
  • Robust native Central Texas creek landscapes featuring over 200,000 new plants and 1,600 new trees providing shade, habitat, and improved access to nature in the heart of Downtown Austin.
  • Three lattice bridges providing new east-west pedestrian connections over Waller Creek.
  • An 800-foot long boardwalk along Waller Creek allowing trail users to bypass intersections at Red River St. and Cesar Chavez St.
  • A continuous, off-street bike and pedestrian trail connecting the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, Palm Park, Rainey Street, and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.
  • New public gathering spaces including a Lagoon Overlook and Leaf Deck adjacent to Lady Bird Lake.
  • The shaded, family-friendly Lakeview Terrace and Explorers Garden.
  • A new connection to the creek at 4th Street with the Cypress Grove and Trailhead Plaza.

 

Vision

The vision for The Confluence includes: 

  • Sustainable SITES Initiative certification, which recognizes projects that use nature-based solutions to increase resiliency
  • A restored creek habitat that integrates green water quality infrastructure
  • Approximately a half mile of new and improved trails, including a creek-level trail and elevated boardwalk. 

 

Construction Impacts

  • Fencing around the project will be removed prior to the grand opening on June 6.

 

Timeline 

The project is currently in the construction phase. Construction began in May 2023 and opened to the public on June 6, 2026. 

Please note that as in any construction project, schedules are projected as accurately as possible. All dates are subject to change due to the nature of construction and the weather.

We launched the design of Phase III: 4th to 12th Street with two community conversations in Spring 2026 to get input for design.

Cost

The total construction cost, including contingencies, is $85 million dollars.

The Confluence is funded by:

  • Waterloo Greenway has committed $12.5 million dollars towards the project.
  • The City of Austin funding totals over $62 million. It comes from the Tax Increment Financing Zone No. 17 fund and multiple departments, including Watershed Protection, Parks and Recreation, Development Services, Austin Energy, Convention Center, and Austin Water. The Tax Increment Financing Zone only uses funds generated from the increased property values and property taxes within a portion of the Waller Creek District.
  • The project has received approximately $11 million in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  

 

Boards and Commissions 

The project team reports to the following boards and commissions: 

 

Documents and Resources

 

Email Updates 

Email Joan Esquivel to receive future email updates about the project.