As Austin grows, The Butler Trail continues to be a beloved asset and destination for citizens and visitors alike. With that, the trail must evolve to ensure safety and mobility for everyone. Nelson / Nygaard, Studio Balcones, and Oldner Lighting are working together to analyze, study, and document the areas of concern along The Trail. Studio Balcones is focused on the materiality of the trail – addressing issues such as erosion, sloughing, sharp edges, and goat paths. The team has developed a digital and print tool-kit to help stewards of the trail identify the best fit solution for each area of concern. All solutions are meant to be low-tech and easily achievable for the Trail Foundation – helping to provide multiple strategies for widespread maintenance and repair across the trail.
As part of the study, Studio Balcones has researched a number of decomposed granite binders such as Stabilizer and Stalok, as well as geogrids, porous-recycled rubber surfaces, and phosphorescent and reflective materials. In addition, Studio Balcones will oversee the installation of four materials test-sites, and observe them over a year to monitor their effectiveness.
Throughout the project, Studio Balcones has worked closely with the Trail Foundation, Nelson/Nygaard, PARD and Oldner Lighting to gather public feedback and produce a final report with conceptual renderings of key-identified locations.
