Council approved item N. The approved resolution authorizes the city manager to enter the Waterway Lane Trail funding agreement.
The agreement advances an off-roadway shared-use path between Gruene Road and FM 306, with ADA curb ramps, a pedestrian hybrid beacon, seating and pedestrian lighting.
The project is estimated at $3,659,475. The funding plan assigns $2,914,400 to federal participation, $16,475 to the state and $728,600 to New Braunfels. The city also accepts responsibility for every cost overrun.
From roadway concept to trail
In 2021, New Braunfels studied a roadway in the Waterway Lane right-of-way; after residents opposed it, the city pursued a shared-use path and backed a grant application in January 2025.
The Texas Transportation Commission awarded funding in November 2025. The agreement says federal participation will cover 80% of eligible design and construction costs, up to the approved amount; New Braunfels pays its nonfederal share and costs above the cap.
A resident supported the Waterway Lane route as an off-street connection in a larger walking and bicycling network and cited outside funding covering 80 percent of its cost.