AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin has spent more than $1 million on plans to fix the Shoal Creek Trail near Lamar and 24th Street.
Last May after storms, a landslide spanning about 300 feet in length took out people's backyards next to the creek and a portion of the popular trail.
Despite all the already money spent, it is still not fixed. And with more rain this spring, that worries City officials.
Mike Kelly, Austin Watershed Protection Department managing engineer, said the slope has fallen down about two-and-a-half feet further since last year. City staff said there's also a crack about 10 feet long from the edge of the cliff to houses, making the area dangerous.
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"It's a public park," said Kelly. "There's always a possibility of people being there."
The City said what has held up a solution is that property owners and the City have not come to an agreement about how to pay for the fix.
"We've all known this is going to be a high-dollar project," said Kelly. "Each party has got their own interest that we need to ensure that [is] taken care of."
Pease Park Conservancy said the damaged portion is integral to the park.
"Anecdotally, people have told me that they're not coming to the park as much," said Pease Park CEO Heath Riddles. "Because of the closure of this segment of the trail."
City council will need to give the green light before construction starts to fix the trail.
Stabilizing the cliff will cost between $8 million to $16 million, according to the City. And the City's already spent more than $1 million contracting with firms on studies.
"In order for us to gather more us to gather more information about the nature of the soils, on and surrounding the slope, about the topography, to actually survey and get a better idea of how much has moved and where and pay design professionals," said Kelly on the studies.
City staff cannot say when it all will get fixed.
"Right now there's not a physical solution to protect the homes," said Kelly. "That's why there's such risk."
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