Red Line Trail Study

Virtual Open House: Existing Conditions

October 2023

Envisioning the Red Line Trail

The Red Line Trail Study, led by CapMetro, aims to identify a feasible and safe alignment for the Red Line Trail based on identified constraints and opportunities. The Red Line Trail is a vision for a trail network that generally follows CapMetro's 32-mile Red Line commuter rail corridor from Downtown Austin to Leander. The concept gained traction in 2004 with CapMetro's voter-approved All Systems Go Plan, which authorized the Red Line and "hike and bike trails along some existing railroad right-of-way." A number of Red Line Trail segments (5.7 miles) are open to the public today through various jurisdictional efforts, such as:

  • From Austin Community College Highland Campus to CapMetro’s Crestview station
  • From Rosewood Avenue to CapMetro’s MLK Jr. Station (also known as the Boggy Creek Trail)
  • Between Rosewood Avenue and E. Cesar Chavez (on‐street protected bikeways and trail connections)
  • From Downtown Station to Plaza Saltillo

The study will look at the remaining segments, in coordination with jurisdictions, to develop an alignment with recommendations for near-, mid- and long-term implementation. In areas with significant challenges, alternatives such as on-street options may be proposed.

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Red Line Trail Study Timeline

CapMetro launched the Red Line Trail Study in February 2023 with the consultant team AECOM and Toole Design Group and plans to complete the study in Summer 2024.

Case Studies and Plan Review

(March 2023 – May 2023) The study team selected three case studies to detail and produced a summary memo highlighting applicable findings for the Red Line Trail. The case studies evaluated best practices, safety, design, funding, environmental, and community lessons learned. The task also included a review of existing studies and plan reports.   Case Studies Summary 

Existing Conditions and Needs Assessment

(April 2023 – October 2023) The study team evaluated information and data on demographics, land use, environment, and transportation to analyze the existing conditions of the corridor. Within this timeframe, stakeholder engagement was conducted to ensure that the existing conditions incorporated upcoming and planned projects and to begin identifying challenges and opportunities.  Existing Conditions Memo  

Trail Alignment: Preferred and Alternative Planning-Level Schematics

(October 2023 – March 2024) The study team will determine a preferred and feasible alignment for the Red Line Trail, then identify segments of the trail that should be prioritized based on existing conditions and needs. In areas with significant challenges, alternatives such as on-street options will be proposed.

Trail Design: Preferred and Alternative Standards and Cross Sections

(January 2024 – May 2024) The team will identify the preferred trail typical section and trail width for segments. The team will develop cross sections that fit the trail and roadway crossings along the corridor.

Trail Recommendations: Implementation Strategies and Prioritization

(March 2024 - July 2024) The study team will develop customized and detailed recommendations that includes feasible implementation strategies and a prioritization process. This will also include performance measures, planning level cost estimates and potential funding sources. The Red Line Trail Study will demonstrate where the trail is feasible, and governmental jurisdictions would take final steps to implement the vision through preliminary engineering and design. The timing and implementation phase will range by segment depending on the complexity that it presents and the funding available to construct the trail within each jurisdiction.

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Existing Conditions

Trails are planned around various requirements, constraints, and opportunities. It is important to identify these early, prior to identifying a potential trail alignment. The Red Line Trail alignment will need to take into account items such as:

  • Federal and state rail safety standards that limit what can be built within certain distances of rail lines
  • Critical environmental features / drainage infrastructure
  • Limited rail right-of-way
  • Signal and cable equipment
  • Adjacent development
  • Rail operational needs, such as double tracking along the Red Line corridor
  • Safety and risk

In addition to a desktop data analysis, the project team performed site visits along the 32-mile corridor to capture existing conditions. They identified several common critical project constraints which could affect where any future trail might go, as identified on the map.

View photos/locations of common Red Line Trail project constraints.

Locate floodplains that fall within the Red Line corridor.

Explore available space within CapMetro’s right-of-way.

Find existing rail equipment located within CapMetro’s right-of-way.

View all data layers on one map.

Limited Rail Right-of-Way

Several sections along the Red Line have limited right-of-way widths, which make it challenging to accommodate a trail within the rail right-of-way. Many sections of the right-of-way are only 50 feet wide, and the space along the rail must also accommodate operational, maintenance, and equipment needs for the trains. Existing double tracking also impacts space for a trail within the rail right-of-way. CapMetro is currently planning four double tracking projects and one siding track project. Additional double tracking projects are likely to occur in the future to improve service. Adding additional tracks to the railroad right-of-way limits the area available for trail construction.

Equipment in the Rail Right-of-Way

Signal bungalows, also called signal houses or signal shelters, are metal structures containing rail signaling equipment. According TxDOT’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, equipment housings should be at least 25 feet offset from the nearest rail. The signal bungalows are sited frequently along the corridor and may be located within an otherwise ideal alignment for the trail. Signal bungalows are necessary for rail operation, so relocation would require the installation of a new bungalow before the conflicting bungalow is removed. There are also limited areas in which to relocate the structures and relocation is costly.

In addition, CapMetro staff will need space to access these signal bungalows and other transit signal priority devices for maintenance purposes, so proper clearances between the equipment and trail will be needed. Cables running to and from these devices are also buried underground, so any future trail alignment would need to take those into consideration.

 

Drainage Infrastructure

Managing stormwater runoff, channels, and streams around the rail corridor presents a challenge for siting the trail as well as designing for trail drainage. Existing infrastructure including ditches, concrete drainage swales, and culverts may be costly and/or difficult to accommodate in a trail design. Working with existing drainage patterns or altering the drainage pattern so that both the railroad and trail corridors have positive drainage will also be a challenge in certain areas.

Safety and Security

With recreational activities taking place along the trail, first responder access will be vital in order to ensure services when emergencies arise, especially in remote sections of the trail. The space required for fencing along the trail will also need to be considered, so trail users can be protected and remain at a safe distance away from the railroad tracks.

Specific Examples of Constrained Areas

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1

Morrow Street

  • The rail corridor at Morrow Street has steep ditches on both sides of the rail.
  • The corridor appears fairly narrow with vegetation and fences along residential backyards lining the rail corridor.
  • There is an existing signal bungalow on the southeast side of intersection that is in close proximity to the rail and further constrains the right-of-way.
  • The Rosetta double tracking project is planned for just south of this crossing.

2

Crestview Station

  • The concrete drainage structures held shallow puddles from rain the previous night.
  • The structures are currently seeing informal use for recreation.
  • The image to the right shows concrete drainage swales north of Crestview Station.

3

53rd Street / Bruning Ave

  • The crossing at Bruning, 53rd, Middle Fiskville, and Clarkson is a challenging 5-way intersection that would need to be improved for pedestrians and bicyclists. Due to the number of roads converging and the angles of the intersection, this area can be confusing to drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
  • The railroad right-of-way is narrow in this area and is approximately 50 feet wide.

Opportunities

Adjacent Redevelopment

Redevelopment is occurring at multiple locations along the corridor. This offers opportunities to secure recreational easements to site the trail along or closely adjacent to the corridor during the site permit process. These redevelopment areas will not have the same constraints as locations with existing infrastructure and may offer viable alternatives for the trail corridor. Additionally, areas that are being developed are likely to be denser and generate more use.

Positive Activity Along the Rail Corridor

Trail development along the corridor could reduce/eliminate some nuisance behavior such as dumping or trespassing on the rail. The trail could also provide access for maintenance and emergency response along the rail.

We Want Your Input

The public input period has closed, but stay tuned for future opportunities.

Stay Involved!

The Red Line Trail Study team plans to continuously engage and solicit feedback from communities along the project corridor over the next several months. To keep up to date with upcoming public input opportunities as the Red Line Trail Study continues, please join our project interest list.

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