Construction of Red Arroyo Trail Begins

Construction has begun on the Red Arroyo trail, a nearly four-mile paved bike and pedestrian path that will connect two of San Angelo’s busiest thoroughfares, Sherwood Way and Knickerbocker Road.

The contractor, Encino Landscape of Cleveland, Texas, has begun constructing a parking lot at Unidad Park, building a sidewalk along College Hills Boulevard and excavating a stormwater retention pond behind the former Travis Elementary School.

“There’s a lot of community anticipation surrounding this project,” Engineering Services Project Coordinator Ryan Ward said. “We’re just as eager to get the trail underway, knowing a lot of folks are looking forward to jogging, cycling, skating, and walking themselves and their dogs on it.”

The project’s aim is threefold:

• To foster a greater sense of community by connecting several neighborhoods and two arterial streets through a multi-use trail with amenities and stormwater retention ponds that will offer a relaxing environment.
• To provide a safe and convenient trail system as an alternate means of transportation – be it walking, running, skating or cycling – between Sherwood Way, Knickerbocker Road and the neighborhoods along the route.
• To increase recreational opportunities for walking, running and bicycling. 

When finished in July, the $3.9 million project (formally known as the Red Arroyo Shared Use Path) will consist of a 14-foot-wide concrete path; three trailheads with seating; three parking areas at Unidad, Sul Ross Street and Millbrook Drive; a restroom at Unidad; six detention ponds and five bridges that will cross the Arroyo at various points.

The Texas Department of Transportation is funding 80 percent of the project’s expense.

Construction should have a minimal impact on traffic.

The City hopes to construct a dog park along the new trail in the vicinity of Unidad Park, 3245 Vista del Arroyo Drive, in the near future.