Waller Creek Tunnel Fact Sheet - PDF

							Project Plan
                                                                                    •The tunnel project is
•Waller Creek creates
a 100-year floodplain                                                               funded through the
                                                                                    Waller Creek Tax In-
that can widen to 800
feet at points, flooding                                                            crement Financing
acres of downtown                                                                   Zone (TIF).
land in a 100-year
                                                                                    •Over the next 20
flood.
                                                                                    years, incremental
•Homes, businesses,
                                                                                    funds generated by the
                                                                                    TIF Zone are allocated
and parts of some
downtown parks adja-                                                                for the construction,
cent to Waller Creek                                                                operation, and mainte-
                                                                                    nance of the tunnel.
are currently at risk for
severe flooding.
                                             Waller Creek                           Local economy
•To solve the flooding                                                              •For a 5-year period,
                            mately 28 acres of land    •By diverting and
problem, the Waller                                    screening flood waters,      the tunnel project will
Creek tunnel project        will be lifted from the                                 create thousands of
                            100-year flood plain and   the tunnel will help alle-
will install an under-                                 viate the problems of        jobs for those support-
ground storm water          will become available                                   ing the design and con-
                            for development or re-     bank erosion and trash
bypass tunnel that is                                  in the creek waters.         struction processes.
5,400 feet long, 24 feet    development.
in diameter, and 60-70                                                              •Local businesses such
                            •The tunnel will main-     •The Waller Creek Dis-       as hotels, restaurants,
feet underground be-
tween Waterloo Park         tain a constant flow of    trict Master Plan is be-     and stores will experi-
and Lady Bird Lake.         water through the          ing created to identify a    ence increased reve-
                            creek, even during dry     community vision for the     nues.
•Once the tunnel is         periods.                   area and to outline
operational, approxi-                                  strategies to make this      •Completion of the
                                                       vision a reality.            tunnel will stimulate
                                                                                    growth and help bring
For more information...                                                             many quality projects
          Visit our website: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/wallercreek/                to downtown Austin.
                                   or contact
                                                                                    Project Timeline
                Carolyn Perez, Public Outreach Coordinator                          •The City of Austin ex-
                 City of Austin - Department of Public Works                        pects to begin tunnel
         Email: Carolyn.Perez@ci.austin.tx.us Phone 512.974.7139                    construction in 2010
                                                                                    and finish in 2014.