Vision Plan Guiding Principles and Goals

The following guiding principles and goals were shared with the community to provide guidance in developing the vision for Zilker Park. Please consider these guiding principles and values as you respond to the questions below. To see the full test of the Guiding Principles and Goals, please visit the Project Webpage.

Nature and Ecology

The plan should treat Zilker Park as an ecological treasure. Recognize the park’s relation to water and explore opportunities for interaction with the lake without compromising environmental integrity.

History and Culture

Zilker Park is a metropolitan park which has a regional draw and focus. The plan should treat the park’s historic and cultural resources as a valued legacy to be celebrated for future generations.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Zilker Park should serve the entire community of Austin. The plan should align programs with community interest from all communities of Austin.

Accessibility

The plan should knit the segmented pieces of Zilker Park together, ensuring a more accessible, safe and connected park – north and south sides of Barton Springs Road, north and south shores of Lady Bird Lake, east and west sides of Barton Creek, east and west sides of MoPac. The park is a place you can arrive to by multiple travel options.

Sustainability

The plan should champion sustainability best-practices for Zilker Park. The park should serve as an example of sustainability, protecting and enhancing our natural spaces and assets.

The Plan Concepts

3 Alternatives

The final plan concept will likely share pieces from each concept presented. Your responses below will help identify which elements to piece together the final puzzle.

Plan Concepts Alternatives: Stitch Edges Regenerate

Elements Common to Each Plan Concept

  • Barton Creek rehabilitation
  • Green stormwater infrastructure
  • Ecological Uplift
  • Rehabilitation of the Butler Landfill
  • Programming nodes that are connected with pathways/people mover
  • Address Azie Morton Road
  • Address southern part of park by Azie Morton Road – parking, access
  • Water Budget
  • Universal ADA accessibility
  • Zilker Eagle and Internal Shuttle routes to move people within the park
  • Off-leash use is currently planned to remain on the Great Lawn

Plan Concept A: Stitch

Zilker Plan Concept for Stitch

View the PDF overview

Key takeaways

  1. Land  bridge
  2. Sports complex at Rugby Field  
  3. Removal of vehicular traffic from Lou Neff
  4. Disconnection of Columbus Drive  
  5. Ecological uplift of Butler Landfill with some surface lot parking
  6. Pedestrian  bridge  at  Toomey  Road  extension
  7. Barton Springs Road (2 lanes of traffic each way, no on-street parking)
  8. Fenced off-leash areas in Polo Field Lawn and Rugby Field
  9. Additional  pedestrian/bike  bridge  connections  across  Barton  Creek
  10. New  location  of  Zilker  Hillside  Theater  (Great  Lawn  area)
  11. Stratford Drive realignment east of MoPac and closure of existing Stratford  alignment  to  vehicular  traffic

 

Plan Concept B: Edges

Zilker Plan Concept for Edges

View the PDF overview

Key takeaways:

  1. Parking  garages  at  the  perimeter  of  the  park
  2. Sports complex at Polo Field Lawn
  3. Barton  Springs  Road  underpass for  pedestrians  and  bikes
  4. Removal of vehicular traffic from Lou Neff
  5. Removal  of  vehicular  traffic  from  Andrew  Zilker  Road
  6. Ecological  uplift  of  Butler  Landfill  adjacent  to  parking  garage  and  Zilker  Hillside  Theater
  7. Pedestrian  bridge  at  Toomey  Road  extension
  8. Barton Springs Road (2 lanes of traffic each way, on-street parking)
  9. Pedestrian/bike bridge across Lady Bird Lake to connect to Austin High area
  10. Nature Playground and new trailhead on west side of MoPac in the Zilker Preserve
  11. Fenced off-leash areas in Polo Field and near Azie Morton Road / southern part of Zilker Park
  12. Playground in southern part of Zilker Park
  13. Additional  pedestrian/bike  bridge  connections  across  Barton  Creek
  14. New location of Zilker Hillside Theater (Landfill area)  
  15. Stratford Drive realignment west of MoPac and closure of existing Stratford alignment to vehicular traffic

Plan Concept C: Regenerate

Zilker Plan Concept for Regenerate

View the Plan Concept C overview (PDF)

Key takeaways:

  1. Repurposed  Caretaker’s  Cottage  and  Quonset  Hut  to  Welcome  Center
  2. Boardwalk  on  Lady  Bird  Lake
  3. Separated bike trail from Butler Hike and Bike Trail along Lady Bird Lake
  4. Lou Neff Point pedestrian and bike bridge
  5. Move Boat House and dock to be on east side of MoPac/near Butler Landfill
  6. Barton Springs Road improvements (one lane of travel in each direction and on-street parking)
  7. Stratford  Road  remains  in  its  current  alignment  and  open  to  vehicular  traffic
  8. Ecological  Uplift  of  Butler  Landfill  (meadow  with  some  tree  planting)
  9. Surface  parking  lots,  no  parking  garages
  10. Azie  Morton  Road  improvements
  11. Improved access points into water at Barton Creek (outside of Barton Springs Pool)

Question title

How well does each option achieve the overall guiding principles and goals?

Loading question...

Question title

Select the top 5 elements you like from Plan Concept A: Stitch?

1. Land Bridge
74%
9. Additional pedestrian/bike bridge connections across Barton Creek
62%
6. Pedestrian bridge at Toomey Road extension
52%
7. Barton Springs Road (2 lanes of traffic, no on-street parking)
47%
3. Removal of vehicular traffic from Lou Neff
42%
5. Ecological uplift of Butler Landfill with some surface lot parking
40%
8. Off leash dog area in Polo Field lawn area
25%
11. Stratford Drive realignment east of MoPac and closure of existing Stratford alignment to vehicular traffic
19%
10. New location of Zilker Hillside Theater (Great Lawn area)
17%
2. Sports complex at rugby field
10%
4. Disconnection of Columbus Drive
10%
Other
4%
Closed to responses | 395 Responses

Question title

What is missing that you think would improve Plan Concept A?

Closed for Comments

Question title

Select the top 5 elements you like from Plan Concept B: Edges?

13. Additional pedestrian/bike bridge connections across Barton Creek
50%
9. Pedestrian/bike bridge across Lady Bird Lake to connect to Austin High area
45%
7. Pedestrian bridge at Toomey Road extension
39%
3. Barton Springs Road underpass for pedestrian and bikes
39%
10. Nature playground and new trailhead on west side of MoPac in Zilker Preserve
36%
1. Parking garages at the perimeter of the park
32%
4. Removal of vehicular traffic from Lou Neff
31%
6. Ecological uplift of Butler Landfill next to parking garage and Zilker Hillside Theater
28%
5. Removal of vehicular traffic from Andrew Zilker Road
24%
12. Playground in southern part of Zilker Park
23%
11. Off leash dog area near Azie Morton Road / southern part of Zilker Park
18%
15. Stratford Drive realignment east of MoPac and closure of existing Stratford alignment to vehicular traffic
16%
8. Barton Springs Road (2 lanes of traffic, on-street parking)
14%
14. New location of Zilker Hillside Theater (Landfill area)
13%
2. Sports complex at Polo Field lawn
12%
Other
2%
Closed to responses | 360 Responses

Question title

What is missing that you think would improve Plan Concept B?

Closed for Comments

Question title

Select the top 5 elements you like from Plan Concept C: Regenerate?

2. Boardwalk on Lady Bird Lake
55%
11. Improved access points into water at Barton Creek (outside of Barton Springs Pool)
53%
8. Ecological uplift of Butler Landfill (meadow with some tree planting)
49%
4. Lou Neff Point pedestrian and bike bridge
44%
3. Separated bike trail from Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail along Lady Bird Lake
44%
1. Repurposed Caretaker's Cottage and Quonset Hut to welcome center
29%
9. Surface parking lots, no parking garages
26%
10. Azie Morton Road improvements
24%
5. Boat House and dock moved to east side of MoPac near Butler Landfill
16%
6. Barton Springs Road improvements (one lane of travel in each direction, on-street parking)
16%
7. Stratford Road remains in current alignment, open to vehicular traffic
15%
Other
3%
Closed to responses | 355 Responses

Question title

What is missing that you think would improve Plan Concept C?

Closed for Comments

Question title

Which playground locations do you like?

Map of Zilker Park showing locations of possible playground mentioned in response options
E. Current site near Caretaker's Cottage, north of Barton Springs Pool
61%
F. Southern part of park, south of Barton Springs Pool, near Azie Morton Drive
37%
G. Eastern part of park, between Lou Neff Road, Barton Springs Road, and Barton Creek
32%
D. Polo Fields, eastern side, near Moonlight Tower and surface parking lot
28%
A. Zilker Preserve, west of MoPac, north of Rollingwood Drive
24%
C. Polo Fields, western side south of Barton Springs Road
22%
B. Zilker Preserve, west of MoPac, south of Rollingwood Drive
20%
Other
2%
Closed to responses | 290 Responses

Question title

Which sports fields locations do you prefer?

Map of Zilker Park showing locations of possible sports fields mentioned in response options
A. Polo Field
48%
Neither option
19%
Either option
17%
B. Near existing playground and rugby field
16%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 319 Responses

Question title

Which location for the Zilker Hillside Theater do you prefer?

Map of Zilker Park showing locations of possible Hillside Theater locations mentioned in response options
A. Keep it where it is (near Rock Garden)
58%
C. Near Lady Bird Lake, Butler landfill area, northern part of the park
29%
B. Western end of the Great Lawn, near Stratford Drive
13%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 323 Responses

Question title

Which water access point for kayak/stand-up paddleboard/canoe do you prefer?

Map of Zilker Park showing locations of possible water access locations mentioned in response options
D. Near Butler landfill, east of MoPac
34%
A. Near proposed Toomey Road bridge extension
23%
B. Near the proposed Welcome Center, Barton Springs Pool Spillway ("Barking Springs") area
22%
C. Near the Austin Nature and Science Center
21%
Other
0%
Closed to responses | 307 Responses

Question title

What improvements to Stratford Drive do you prefer?

Keep it in its current alignment and allow vehicles to remain on it.
40%
Align it east of MoPac, adjacent to the Zilker Botanical Gardens, and turn its current alignment into pedestrian and bike access only
35%
Align it west of MoPac, adjacent to the Austin Nature and Science Center, and turn its current alignment into pedestrian and bike access only
25%
Closed to responses | 299 Responses

Question title

Please rank your preferred Barton Springs Road crossing option.

Closed to responses | 337 Responses

Question title

Other comments or questions regarding the Zilker Park Vision Plan.

Closed for Comments