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.
The approval is the material change since Comal.News reported the proposed agreement before the meeting. The earlier report explains how the projected local share is divided between design, construction and direct state costs.
What happens next
Construction is expected to begin in May 2028, and the city will decide how to fund its construction share after design is complete.
Park District 1 has enough money for the $131,800 design and direct-state-cost share, according to the city’s item report. The agreement requires a $59,800 payment to TxDOT within 30 days after execution.
The next useful records will be the executed agreement, completed design and the city’s construction-funding decision. Readers can use file 26-1037 in the official item record to track those documents and any revised project estimate.