Please click here for Cottonwood Trail Distances

NEW TRAIL CELEBRATION TO BE RESCHEDULED FOR AUGUST

Due to the weather and trail conditions Friday mornings Cottonwood Trail Opening Ceremony and bike ride has been postponed until August.

The City of Hutto will coordinate with Mayor David Begier and City Council Members, District 52 Representative Diana Maldonado, TX DOT Officials, BWM Group and Hutto ISD officials for an event on Monday, August 16th.

The City of Hutto, BWM Group, Chasco Constructors and TX DOT would like to apologize for the weather conditions and the inconvenience, but please visit the parks and recreation pages on the city's website www.huttotx.gov for up to date information regarding the rescheduled event. The Parks and Rcreation office is located at 306 East Live Oak St. and can be reached at 759-4000.

In 2003 the City of Hutto was awarded a TEA-21 Trail Grant through the Texas Department of Transportation. This grant was part of a federally funded program which was locally administered through TX DOT. The funds were made available through part of the Transportation Enhancement Act (TEA). This program later changed names and has been called TEA, SAFETLU and other titles. The City of Hutto’s grant application created the Pedestrian Mobility Study in 2003 which outlined an original route for the project that was later changed due to right-of-way issues along Front Street. The project was also initially put together to create safe routes to schools and would have connected, at the time, all Hutto ISD campuses.

Since Hutto was awarded the project nearly six years ago, the process has included several changes to the original grant submittal. These include route changes, developer participation, design and review of the project from City of Hutto, BWM Group Landscape Architects and TX DOT.  After the original route was changed, new environmental studies, engineering reviews and construction plan designs had to be created.

After nearly six years of planning, design, review, and state funding cuts to enhancement projects, Hutto eventually regained funding as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act 2009. In June 2009, the notice to proceed with the advertisement to bid was approved by TX DOT. After bids were received and opened on July 23^rd, the bids were then reviewed by City staff, BWM and TX DOT to ensure that the bidders all met the necessary local, state and federal requirements before approving the bidder. The bid was approved by City Council on August 6 and TX DOT approved it in September. The notice to proceed with constructing the Cottonwood Trail Phase II project has been issued to Chasco Contractors and is projected to be complete by the end of December.

 

The trail project, a ten foot wide concrete path, will begin near Nadine Johnson Elementary School and travel east along Carl Stern Boulevard. The trail project will continue east through the Country Estates, Legends of Hutto and Creekbend neighborhoods along Carl Stern Blvd. Once the trail reaches Cottonwood Creek in the Creekbend Subdivision, the trail will head north and connect to the existing trail in Creekside Park. This project then picks back up on the north edge of the Fritz Park and will connect to Hutto Elementary School located on Mager Lane.

 

We're just days away from the start of the project and Chasco Constructors will soon begin their work on hike and bike trails connecting Fritz Park and Creekside Park. The goal date to complete this project is the end of the year. 

The Front Street sidewalk project was the result of the City’s planning staff looking at the need for pedestrian mobility along a well traveled route to the High School. The Cottonwood Trail Phase II project was originally slated to run along Front Street but was later moved due to a lack of necessary right-of-way space needed to meet grant requirements. Staff recognized the need for pedestrian mobility still present along Front Street while studying the need for new sidewalks in Hutto. In August, City Council awarded the project to Westar Construction, Inc. This project will also begin the week of October 5 and be complete by December.

The City of Hutto would just like to remind everyone to follow all posted guidelines during the construction process. The City also asks that drivers take special precautions during the times which school zones are in effect while under construction.

TEA-21 Routes 

The link below views the path that will be used to the Cottonwood Trail Phase II project. The presentation is a view in pictures of the route the trail will take along Carl Stern Blvd.

The TEA-21 Update Presentation

The Fritz Park Master Plan addresses the following Master Plan Goals, Actions and Activities:

    Goals         1,2,3,4,5
    Actions       4,5
    Activities    A,B,D,F,J,K,L,BB

For more about the Cottonwood Trail Phase II project, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 512-759-4000.

For more information regarding the Front Street sidewalk project, contact the Public Works Department at 512-759-4016.

The Fritz Park Master Plan addresses the following Master Plan Goals, Actions and Activities:

    Goals         1,2,3,4,5
    Actions       4,5
    Activities    A,B,D,F,J,K,L,BB

For more about the Cottonwood Trail Phase II project, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 512-759-4000.

For more information regarding the Front Street sidewalk project, contact the Public Works Department at 512-759-4016.