lucky dogs that live close to this (Austin, Riverside: real estate, condo)

[steve78757]

Originally Posted by buffettjr

What an odd thing to say, to admit this is great for developers and the rich people who will be living on expensive property along the river and then in the same breath say it will be bad for taxpayers -- it boosts property values in a very heavily taxed area.

I lived for years right on the water right where this trail is going in (the opposite of rich, I paid $600 - $800 / month with no roomates!). The trail was awful here. It is a 10 mile loop that just breaks down and leaves the river, and forces people to run on busy roads and over the highway with absolutely no signage or no clue where to go. Took me months to figure it out and I lived there. People from out of town who wanted to run one of the "crown jewels of Austin" had to stop and ask where they were and say how dreadfully lost they were. But really what happened most is people just turned around and ran back the other way, leaving half the hike and bike trail unused and east Austin cut off from everyone else.

This trail will remove the community scar that is I-35 from the equation, reunite east and west in one way, encourage more people to use the entire second half of the trail that is already there and built but sits unused (what could be more efficient than that?), AND likely pay for itself since it will boost property values in an entire five mile loop. We'll gain a giant new useable strip of trail by building a small piece along the water.

I can scarcely think of a more valuable public works project for the city than this, nor one that is smarter or more efficient. Immensely more efficient and valuable than a public swimming pool, and used by orders of magnitude more people too.

I understand that you think jogging is very important, and that being able to jog from the west part of that trail to the east is especially valuable. But not everyone puts that ahead of kids having access to public swimming pools and libraries. You conveniently left out my concern about libraries and used the term "public swimming pool", as if it were only one.

The ONLY reason this thing ever got approved is because it was lumped in with other items on a 90 million dollar "mobility" bond. City government knew better than to have it stand on its own. They knew putting a 14 million dollar boardwalk alone on the ballot would have gone down in flames.

You say this project will unite east and west and remove a scar on our community. Yet the Coalition of Mexican American Neighborhood Associations (in addition to other neighborhood groups) opposed it, and for good reason.

"We are strongly opposed to the FURTHER polluting of Lady Bird Lake by the construction of a 14 MILLION DOLLAR Board Walk on the waters of Lady Bird Lake. Proposition 1 bond language lumps 90 million dollars of projects all together and is an insult to the integrity and the intelligence of Austin tax voters. East Austin continues to be neglected. Proposition 1 ignores many needed street repairs and sidewalks in our Barrios, giving our voters reason not to support this,’take it or leave it’, with all projects thrown into one bond proposition."

[Trainwreck20]

"We are strongly opposed to the FURTHER polluting of Lady Bird Lake by the construction of a 14 MILLION DOLLAR Board Walk on the waters of Lady Bird Lake. Proposition 1 bond language lumps 90 million dollars of projects all together and is an insult to the integrity and the intelligence of Austin tax voters. East Austin continues to be neglected. Proposition 1 ignores many needed street repairs and sidewalks in our Barrios, giving our voters reason not to support this,’take it or leave it’, with all projects thrown into one bond proposition."

So, since it does not SPECIFICALLY and exclusively help their neighborhoods (aka barrios), it should be opposed. hmm. I guess the rest of Austin voters would approve spending 14 million that only helped a neighborhood other than their own?

But not everyone puts that ahead of kids having access to public swimming pools and libraries.

So we have no libraries now? or no swimming pools? Egads! I missed that they removed them all.

In our area, they reduced the hours of the library, but didn't really take it away or anything. And it still isn't that crowded. And the local school allows public use of their library during the summer even. There are lots of pools already, too, and their upkeep is huge compared to many other facilities.

[centralaustinite]

What pools are closed? I haven't noticed any difference in pool access. My local library is closed two days a week instead of one, I can live with it.

Many people opposed the boardwalk including many MANY in my neighborhood but now that it is becoming a reality, most people are excited about it and see advantages to it. It definitely improve bike commuting downtown and give pedestrian access to many people who are now cut off. Although I live pretty close to the trail, we drive down, then park to walk different section because the old section along Riverside and crossing I-35 is dicey with heavy traffic. Once the boardwalk is completed we can leave our cars at home, walk a few blocks to a greenbelt and then access the trail! Even the NIMBYs will use it and love it.

[steve78757]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

So we have no libraries now? or no swimming pools? Egads! I missed that they removed them all.

Whoa! I didn't realize that either. You should definitely find the person who said that and ask them about it.

[steve78757]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

What pools are closed? I haven't noticed any difference in pool access. My local library is closed two days a week instead of one, I can live with it..

This from the same period of time they were asking for the money for the boardwalk.

Five Austin pools will be closed this summer - Closings part of budget cuts made last September.

So you can live with your local library closing another day of the week to make room in the budget for boardwalks and the like. It's a free country. Not everyone shares your perspective.

[centralaustinite]

That link is from 2010! And Austin has over 50 public pools so losing five is not a complete disaster. 2010 would have been a challenging year for budgeting even without the trail. You can't do a bond issue for operating funds, so not funding the boardwalk wouldn't produce $ for pools or libraries or other services.

The Trail Foundation raised over 3 million in private money for the boardwalk as well. The boardwalk will be an asset for the city for generations.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by steve78757

The ONLY reason this thing ever got approved is because it was lumped in with other items on a 90 million dollar "mobility" bond. City government knew better than to have it stand on its own. They knew putting a 14 million dollar boardwalk alone on the ballot would have gone down in flames.

You say this project will unite east and west and remove a scar on our community. Yet the Coalition of Mexican American Neighborhood Associations (in addition to other neighborhood groups) opposed it, and for good reason.

"We are strongly opposed to the FURTHER polluting of Lady Bird Lake by the construction of a 14 MILLION DOLLAR Board Walk on the waters of Lady Bird Lake. Proposition 1 bond language lumps 90 million dollars of projects all together and is an insult to the integrity and the intelligence of Austin tax voters. East Austin continues to be neglected. Proposition 1 ignores many needed street repairs and sidewalks in our Barrios, giving our voters reason not to support this,’take it or leave it’, with all projects thrown into one bond proposition."

I do greatly resent the way the Council packaged the bonds to force anyone who wanted transportation improvements to also include these projects that are highly unlikely to have any positive impact on transportation problems within the City.

By the way did you know that the 14 million dollar boardwalk project is now 21 million? http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/a...-at-21-million

[Kosmonaut]

Walnut Creek got a hike-n-bike, so chill out. Your side of town can get nice stuff too. No need to be bitter about the south shore.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

The Trail Foundation raised over 3 million in private money for the boardwalk as well. The boardwalk will be an asset for the city for generations.

Yup. Completing the "crown jewel" of the Austin park/trail system is something they've needed to do for a very long time. They should have done it sooner, IMO (would have been cheaper). This will be a beneficial link between the east and west sides, too. It has all sorts of benefits.

Also, aren't we spending $100M for a new public library? Doesn't that seem like enough to throw at a basically outdated type of amenity?

[steve78757]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

That link is from 2010!

Right. I said that. It's more relevant because it close to when the bond election was held. Nice exclamation point, though.

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

And Austin has over 50 public pools so losing five is not a complete disaster.

Who said it was "A COMPLETE DISASTER"? People around here love to argue with the straw man.

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

2010 would have been a challenging year for budgeting even without the trail. You can't do a bond issue for operating funds, so not funding the boardwalk wouldn't produce $ for pools or libraries or other services.

Supporters for these types of projects love to make this argument. But everything adds up, and nothing is free. Eventually taxpayers will feel the pain of both the operating budget and projects like this. The budget crunch was a result of tough economic times. Non-essential projects should be put on hold at times when essential services are being threatened. Just my opinion.

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

The boardwalk will be an asset for the city for generations.

Then why not let the voters decide the fate of the project on its own merits? I'm surprised they didn't throw it in with a public safety bond package, just to make extra sure.