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SMITHVILLE — A regional partnership focused on connectivity along the Colorado River corridor met in Smithville last week to discuss how local residents can help shape a multicounty trail project.
Kevin Anderson of Austin Water Utility, who coordinated the May 7 meeting of the Austin-Bastrop River Corridor Partnership, emphasized the long-term impact of current efforts.
“We’ve got work to do, and the work over the next year is going to determine what kind of river access you’re going to have for the next 50 years,” he said.
The ABRCP includes nonprofit groups, government agencies, businesses and residents working to shape the future of 90 miles of the river. Meetings rotate among cities along the corridor, with each focusing on different local aspects.
“The vision for a greenway around the Colorado River has been around for a very, very long time.”
— Joanna Wolaver, parks professional “In terms of a multicounty vision of connectivity and conservation— our focus at the moment is on the Lower Colorado River Trail project,” said Mikey Goralnik, trails and transport planner with the Austin- based Great Springs Project.
The Lower Colorado River Trail currently runs from Longhorn Dam in Austin to Webberville Park, near the Travis-Bastrop County line. According to organizers, the project’s longterm goal is to extend the trail through Bastrop and Smithville, improving access and conservation efforts along the route.
The broader project aims to enhance public access to the river, promote eco-tourism and support water conservation across the Lower Colorado River basin, according to the group. In addition to expanding recreational trails, it includes efforts in habitat preservation and community development.
Park development near the county line naturally extends toward Bastrop, Anderson noted, connected by the river itself.
Joanna Wolaver, executive director of the Travis County Parks Foundation, said the long-standing vision for a greenway may finally be gaining momentum with help from area residents.
“What’s interesting about this project is that the vision for a greenway around the Colorado River has been around for a very, very long time,” she said. “There’s potential for this now in a way that there might not have been in the past.”
ABRCP of f icials stressed the importance of public feedback in shaping the trail’s direction. The group is now seeking input from Smithville residents on concerns, priorities and overall goals.
Community members can visit outdoorengage. mysocialpinpoint.com/ travis for more information on the planning effort, including Travis County park projects and how they may link with regional trails.
“I hope you walk away imagining opportunities for partnership, particularly along the Colorado River, and thinking how you might extend what we’re working on,” Wolaver added.
Anderson closed the meeting with an update on eagle nesting along the river, noting that bird conservation will be the topic of the next ABRCP meeting, set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 9, at the Bastrop Courthouse Annex, 804 Pecan St. in Bastrop.
