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46-711: For a long time, officials from the City of Dallas have advocated for the closure of the jail in order to use the land for the Trinity River Corridor Project . Because of some health-related deaths that occurred before May 2013, the Texas Civil Rights Project , the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other area groups had advocated for the closure of the jail. The state lawmakers, as well, had wanted

92-762: A branch from the 1968 extension to create a lagoon at the new Rivercenter Mall and the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. In 1981 the Hyatt Regency San Antonio opened with a new pedestrian connector that linked Alamo Plaza to the River Walk with concrete waterfalls, waterways and indigenous landscaping. Known as the Paseo del Alamo, this river "extension" actually flows from Alamo Plaza into the San Antonio River through

138-416: A flood gate at the northern (upstream) end of the bend; 2) a small dam at the southern (downstream) end of the bend; and 3) a Tainter gate in the channel to regulate flow. The bend would then be surrounded by commercial development, which he titled "The Shops of Aragon and Romula". Hugman went as far as to maintain his architect's office along the bend. Hugman's plan was initially not well received –

184-426: A network of some 17,000 feet (5,200 m) of walkways, about twenty bridges, and extensive plantings, including some of the bald cypress (others are several hundred years old) whose branches stretch up to ten stories and are visible from street level. Hugman's persistence paid off; he was named project architect. His plan would be put to the test in 1946, when another major flood threatened Downtown San Antonio, but

230-484: A place of relaxation and play for downtown residents who currently have limited outdoor recreational opportunities. Although rare, downtown Dallas has suffered severe flooding and the Trinity River Project has enlisted local and government officials for advice on extending and improving the current levee system protecting the downtown area. Current plans to improve the existing levees are part of what

276-620: A planning process began with construction on the project starting in 2005. Proponents believe this development will bring more life, commerce, revenue to the downtown Dallas region. In 2004, The Trinity Trust Foundation was formed to raise public awareness and secure private funds in support of the Trinity River Corridor Project, including the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Margaret McDermott Bridge, Ronald Kirk Bridge, trails and other components of

322-511: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Trinity River Corridor Project The Trinity River Project is a public works project undertaken in the 2000s in the city of Dallas , Texas , United States . Its goal is to redevelop the Trinity River . The project aims to turn the river's path into a collection of sports fields, trails, nature centers, and recreational opportunities. At 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) (including

368-546: Is known as the Dallas Floodway Extension project. They entail extending two existing levees and raising two others, all adjacent to the downtown Dallas area. A second component of Dallas' efforts for increased flood protection involves the construction of a series of wetlands within the Trinity basin; these wetlands are being constructed to divert excess water away from the Trinity and absorb it outside

414-555: Is still scheduled to perform the design work. As of April 2014, footings for the bridge's arches have been constructed, while steel fabrication has been taking place at Tampa Steel Erecting Company's plant in Florida. The general contractor, American Bridge, expected steel components to arrive on site in Dallas during the fall of 2014. The Trinity River Audubon Center opened in mid-October 2008. The set of trails and parks included in

460-788: The Great Trinity Forest , which at 6,000 acres (24 km ) is the largest urban bottomland forest in the world), it is one of the larger urban parks in the United States. In the late 1980s through mid-1990s, a large citizens' committee initiated by the Dallas City Council worked with staff from the City of Dallas and the regional Council of Governments (COG) to prepare a plan for use of the Trinity River Corridor in Dallas. Neighborhood groups, environmental groups and business interests formed

506-985: The Little Sugar Creek Greenway in Charlotte, North Carolina , the Cherry Creek Greenway in Denver, Colorado , the Bricktown Canal in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma , and the Santa Lucía Riverwalk in Monterrey, Mexico . In 1972, the River Walk is featured in The Getaway in a scene with Steve McQueen and Al Lettieri . The 1984 film Cloak & Dagger includes an extended chase scene along

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552-569: The River Walk in San Antonio or Lady Bird Lake in Austin . In 1998, then-mayor Ron Kirk championed a much more commercial project that aimed to renovate the river through Dallas. Voters approved a bond proposal to fund a major cleanup of the river, construction of park facilities, wildlife habitats, flood-protection devices such as levees , and related road construction. Once passed,

598-758: The Tower Life Building , the San Antonio Museum of Art , the Pearl , and the city's five Spanish colonial missions, which have been named a World Heritage Site , which includes the Alamo . During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio , the River Parade features flowery floats that float down the river. The area within the circumference of the River Walk is the heart of the original 1700s Villa de Bejar outpost, which would eventually become

644-635: The Americas as part of HemisFair '68 . The expansion extended the Riverwalk beyond its natural banks at the horseshoe bend to the new convention center and theater by excavating much of the block bordered by Commerce, Bowie, Market and Alamo Streets. That was also the year the Hilton Palacio del Rio was built, the first of many downtown hotels that leverage their slice of urban "riverfront." A subsequent major expansion opened in 1988 that extended

690-539: The City of San Antonio. In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 51 lives, with an additional 23 people reported missing. Plans were then developed for flood control of the river. Among the plans was to build an upstream dam ( Olmos Dam ) and bypass a prominent bend of the river in the Downtown area (between present-day Houston Street and Villita Parkway), then to pave over

736-487: The Olmos Dam and bypass channel minimized the area damage. Casa Rio, a landmark River Walk restaurant, became the first restaurant in the area in 1946, opening next door to Hugman's office. Through the following decades the network has been improved and extended. The first major extension of the Riverwalk was constructed by the joint venture of two general contractors Darragh & Lyda Inc. and H. A. Lott Inc. to Tower of

782-654: The San Antonio Museum of Art and The Pearl Brewery, which has become one of the most popular areas for locals. Two years later, in May 2011, the River Walk was extended by several miles to extend from Downtown to Mission Espada which is on the city's south side. This addition (named the "Mission Reach") is notable for its emphasis on ecological controls and improvements, as well as trail improvements to support both hiking and biking. The Mission Reach has paddling trails and biking trails which allow tourists to experience

828-633: The San Pedro Creek Greenway. The greenway joins with the River Walk at the confluence of the San Pedro Creek and the San Antonio River near Mission Concepción. On May 25, 2017, Esperanza Andrade , a former Texas secretary of state , and Lisa Wong, her business partner in the company Go Rio San Antonio, prevailed in a 10–1 vote from the San Antonio City Council for the $ 100 million contract to operate

874-570: The UNESCO World Heritage Missions. After years of murmuring from locals and tourists about the water's quality, talk has also begun about cleaning up the water , although the muddy bottom and silt deposits make this difficult. The muddy bottom does receive an annual cleaning during the Mud Festival. In early 2016, for the first time in its history, the River Walk was connected with another linear urban walkway,

920-470: The aforementioned bridges pass over the lakes before entering downtown. The project also contains a 40,000-acre (160 km ) impact zone for economic development along the Trinity River. It will include retail, restaurants, residential developments, and offices, and also attract business into the city. Currently there exists a broad section of developed land between the skyscrapers of downtown and

966-489: The area was noted for being dangerous. At one point, it was declared off-limits to military personnel. People were warned of the threat of being "drowned like a rat" should the river flood. However, over the next decade support for commercial development of the river bend grew, and crucial funding came in 1939 under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which resulted in the initial construction of

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1012-698: The atrium of the hotel. This connector not only allows the hotel to market itself as being on Alamo Plaza and on the River Walk, but it provides the city with an urban park that connects the city's two largest tourist attractions. Many downtown buildings like the Casino Club Building have street entrances and separate river entrances one level below. This separates the automotive service grid (for delivery and emergency vehicles) from pedestrian traffic (below) through an intricate network of bridges, walkways, and old staircases. The San Antonio Spurs had their five NBA Championship victory parades/cruises along

1058-478: The barges on the River Walk. The only dissenter on the council was the mayoral candidate Ron Nirenberg , who faced Mayor Ivy Taylor in a runoff election on June 10. In selecting Andrade and Wong, the council rejected City Manager Sheryl Sculley 's recommendation to award the contract instead to the Chicago -based Entertainment Cruises, the choice also of former Mayor Phil Hardberger . On receiving

1104-492: The bend, and create a storm sewer. Work began on the Olmos Dam and bypass channel in 1926; however, the San Antonio Conservation Society successfully protested the paved sewer option. No major plans came into play until 1929, when San Antonio native and architect Robert Hugman submitted his plans for what would become the River Walk. Although many have been involved in development of the site,

1150-407: The bike paths, cost $ 235 million; its total length is 570 meters (1,870 ft) with a main span of 365 meters (1,198 ft), and an apex-height of 122 meters (400 ft). The Trinity River Corridor Project has been billed as a threefold venture: one that seeks to protect downtown Dallas against future flooding, to improve transportation through the congested downtown district, and to provide

1196-413: The completion dates on many of these projects have been pushed back. The city of Dallas spent $ 4 million to build the standing wave whitewater course. The attraction opened in 2011 but was almost immediately deemed unsafe. The city spent another $ 2 million to remove the course in 2018. In September 2023, updated plans for a Trinity River park were revealed. The plans marked a significant departure from

1242-450: The contract, Andrade told Taylor and the council: "We not only know but we understand why the River Walk is indeed our crown jewel of our beautiful city. And we understand that the barge operation is the thread that weaves it all together."   In 2021, the River Walk was temporarily used as a source of water after a winter storm crippled infrastructure across Texas. The River Walk has inspired similar projects in other cities, such as

1288-803: The direction of Dallas officials, the North Texas Tollway Authority ( NTTA ), and the Texas Department of Transportation ( TxDOT ), the tollway was to have been constructed on the side of the Trinity closest to downtown. It would have accommodated four lanes of traffic, with some sections possibly increased to six lanes; the parkway was to cost approximately $ 1.8 billion. The Trinity River Project incorporates several new recreational developments aimed at improving quality of life for downtown Dallas residents and visitors. These include an Audubon center (opened in October 2008 at

1334-479: The jail for $ 3 million and set to transform the former prison into the anchor for new Trinity Park with park offices, bike rentals, restrooms, and restaurants. 32°46′33″N 96°48′56″W  /  32.77583°N 96.81556°W  / 32.77583; -96.81556 This Dallas , Texas -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a building or structure in Texas

1380-488: The large majority of the members. Neighborhoods wanted recreational amenities; environmental groups wanted to preserve one of the largest remaining riparian forests in the state of Texas; business groups wanted to build a multi-lane highway along the river corridor. Charlie Johnson of the Loop 12 area chaired the subcommittee that named the large natural area near the confluence of White Rock Creek as The Great Trinity Forest. She

1426-403: The leadership of former mayor Jack White was instrumental in passage of a bond issue that raised funds to empower the 1938 "San Antonio River Beautification Project", which began the evolution of the site into the present 2.5-mile-long (4 km) River Walk. Hugman endorsed the bypass channel idea (which would be completed later that year) but, instead of paving over the bend, Hugman suggested 1)

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1472-674: The levees in West Dallas. San Antonio River Walk The San Antonio River Walk is a city park and special-case pedestrian street in San Antonio, Texas , one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws such as the Shops at Rivercenter , the Arneson River Theatre , Marriage Island , La Villita , HemisFair Park , Petty House ,

1518-628: The prison closed because the State of Texas had a decrease in its state jail population. Texas Senator John Whitmire advocated for closing Dawson and the Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility in late 2012. In May 2013 the state government moved to end the $ 97 million budget for the facility as a way of closing the facility. The facility was closed in August 2013. The Trinity Park Conservancy purchased

1564-513: The project allowed for a "parkway" within the project area. By 2007, Dallas business and political leaders had convinced the city to plan for a six- to eight-lane tollway that would link the suburban North Dallas area to southern-bound freeways with no entrance or exit ramps near the park. Following a requirement by the Army Corps of Engineers to move the road into the proposed park area, city councilwoman Angela Hunt and local activists argued that

1610-483: The project have varying start and end dates: for most, construction has already begun or will begin this year and is set to be complete in 2009. The standing wave will also begin construction in 2008 with a completion date of spring 2009. Both the sports complex and horse park are slated to break ground in 2009, with completion dates of 2010 and 2011, respectively. The two lakes are scheduled to begin construction in 2011 with an opening date of 2014. Due to funding issues,

1656-611: The project. On December 12, 2005, construction on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge began — the bridge is one of three Santiago Calatrava -designed bridges to be constructed as part of the project. Though official construction began almost a year and a half earlier, heavy construction did not start until June 2008. Completed in 2012, it connects Woodall Rodgers Freeway in downtown to Singleton Avenue in west Dallas . The conventional concrete pier-and-beam bridge with cosmetic arches and cable stays, supporting only

1702-483: The river channel, further reducing flood danger. Two sections of wetlands are under construction, an Upper Chain and a Lower Chain , with the latter completed in 2008. The Trinity Parkway , the most controversial portion of the project, was a proposed nine-mile (14 km) parkway located inside the river levees but above the floodplain; it was to provide an alternate route for Dallas residents and business travelers, and relieve intense Dallas highway traffic. Under

1748-445: The river walk. Expansion plans are planned for areas of the river north and south of Downtown. As chain restaurants and establishments have begun to flourish, now taking up about a third of commercial space, talk has begun at City Hall about limiting their existence on the River Walk and keeping a distinctively local flair. On May 30, 2009, the city opened the $ 72 million Museum Reach. The Museum Reach features local attractions such as

1794-417: The road would cripple the planned development; tollway supporters pointed to the planned roadway's ability to decongest the undersized "Mixmaster" interchange between I-35, I-30 and US-75, and argued that attempting to move the road would require a cost-prohibitive exercise of eminent domain. In a referendum sparked by Hunt, voters narrowly approved the construction of the toll road, thanks primarily to voters in

1840-505: The second signature bridge, will replace the existing Interstate 30 bridge over the Trinity River. It was originally scheduled to begin construction in 2011, and be completed by 2014. However, in late 2011 funding for the bridge was moved to come from within the Project Pegasus initiative, with construction contracts to be awarded in mid-2012. The new plan features 'toned-down' elements of its original arch design, although Calatrava

1886-605: The site of an illegal landfill in South Dallas), a set of new trails for biking, hiking, and walking, parks, a standing wave, sports complexes, a horse park, and two manmade lakes. These amenities are set to be added to various areas adjacent to downtown Dallas. The two lakes, named the Urban Lake and the Natural Lake by project officials, are set to be built in line with the Dallas cityscape so that cars crossing

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1932-461: The suburban north end of the city. After the referendum controversy continued, citizens began to change their minds and the city council finally cancelled the road project in August 2017. The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the largest portion of the Trinity project started thus far, is currently complete and open to traffic connecting Spur 366 to Singleton Blvd. Completed at a cost of $ 120 million, it opened March 2012. The Margaret McDermott Bridge ,

1978-487: The vision for the development. The park would be named after Dallas businessman Harold Simmons and would come with a $ 325 million price significantly higher than the Trinity River Conservancy's $ 150 million proposed project announced in 2015. In addition, where previous plans called for a nature-oriented park inside the river levees, the new proposed project would feature amenities set mostly outside

2024-531: The water's edge of the Trinity and the two lakes. Recently, Dallas city hall has put forth new zoning laws concerning this area; this new legislation redefines the types of structures that can be built in this area and extends downtown's sphere of influence with its model of highrise and high density construction out to the Trinity river. Although the original bond proposal was passed in 1998, work progressed slowly. A proposed toll road garnered significant criticism from community activists. The 1998 bond proposal for

2070-655: Was also a tireless advocate for the people of her minority neighborhood. Environmentalists such as Ned and Genie Fritz of the Texas Conservation Association and Diana Christopulos of the Sierra Club's Dallas Group were instrumental in the original conservation planning, and many others have carried it on for over 30 years. The Great Trinity River Project has since become one of the most impressive municipal efforts combining conservation, recreation and thoughtful development. Mayor Steve Bartlett

2116-469: Was largely supportive of the citizens' committee efforts. However, Mayor Ron Kirk initially rejected all work to date when he assumed office. He preferred business and commercial ventures. Businesses and businessmen, like Ross Perot, Jr. , have pushed in recent years to build a multimillion-dollar, landmark bridge over the river and convert the section of the river near downtown into a park area, with nearby commercial and retail services, somewhat similar to

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