EMLK hike and bike trail for Imagine Austin

The East MLK Combined Neighborhood Plan encompasses one of the largest neighborhood planning areas in Austin by combining the MLK, MLK-183, and Pecan Springs/Springdale planning areas.  Though rich in amenities such as creeks and green belts, the area lacks interconnectivity and much of it is considered a food desert. To bridge this gap, the East MLK Combined Neighborhood Planning Contact Team alongside several community organizations are working to develop a hike and bike trail that will connect a wide array of important community spaces including four schools, three swimming pools, and four green spaces and community centers. The trail will connect to the Southern Walnut Creek Trail to both the north and south and weave through the green spaces of Little Walnut Creek Park, the Morris Williams Golf Course trail, and the newly dedicated Red Bluff Nature Preserve, as well as link two of the largest mixed-use developments in the city (Mueller and Think-East). Connectivity to the Mueller development will be particularly valuable to the surrounding communities because it employs many people in the service industry and is also home to the largest grocery store in the area. This trail will be especially significant in this area because it will create a safe north-south route option in an area where many alternative transportation routes run east-west.

This project exemplifies the values of Imagine Austin by demonstrating how a group of community members coming together can further our community vision by advancing mobility and interconnectivity, access to green spaces and nature in the city, and social equity. To learn more about the details of the plan and how to get involved, check out this presentation or contact Pinaki Ghosh (pinaki@utexas.edu).