Drake Bridge Commons Community Engagement #2

Hosted by the Trail Foundation and the Austin Parks and Rec Department –

The Trail Foundation (TTF), in partnership with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), invites community members to the second community input event on the Drake Bridge Commons. At this event, the new Drake Bridge Commons project will be revealed and public input on the design and programming will be sought.
The event will include free family activities, entertainment, and snacks donated by local vendors. Community feedback will help inform the next phases of the project.
WHERE: The Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Drake Bridge Commons (Under 1st St. Bridge, North Lady Bird Lake)
More info about Drake Bridge Commons:
Most Austinites know Drake Bridge as the 1st Street Bridge, and there is little sense of the Trail at Drake Bridge as a place or destination. This project, an inaugural Corgan Canopy Fund project, intends to create a memorable space under the north Drake Bridge and anticipates new walking surfaces and an improved water’s edge. Because the under-bridge condition is so dark, it offers possibilities for dramatic treatments in the use of lighting, water, and materials. While the focus is the area under the bridge itself, an extended zone on each side will also be considered.

The community’s feedback will help to inform the next phases of the project, which will transform the space under the 1st Street Bridge and surrounding hillsides into a new public amenity linking downtown to the Butler Trail and Lady Bird Lake. Designers and TTF staff will be available for conversations at the event.

The Drake Bridge Commons space will incorporate three themes: Equitable Access, Ecological Imagination, and Irresistible Attraction. Program elements could include Trail improvements, green stormwater infrastructure, lighting, water access, seating, donor recognition, interpretive features, and more.