CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City of Corpus Christi council passed a resolution supporting a project that will connect the city's Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve and Flour Bluff.
It is all part of the 'Alternative Transportation Grant' proposal. The city presented the project to council members and since it was approved, officials will send the proposal to TxDOT for the chance at $10 million to fund what they are calling the Trestle Trail project.
Daniel Mcginn is the Director of City Planning for the City of Corpus Christi. Mcginn said, "This particular bridge will include elements that would include fishing, bird watching or an area where you can just relax and sit."
The trail would go where a train track used to be. "It would utilize an old existing railroad. There's existing infrastructure in the water today that would support that rail system that went down Holly Road" Mcginn said, "then up into the naval base that carried a lot of equipment for base operations."
Shirley Thornton was born and raised in Flour Bluff. She is also on the Flour Bluff Citizens Council. Thornton told 3NEWS, "when I was a kid, and when my husband was a kid, we would come down here and play. This was a great day outdoor place for everybody." She said, "We fished, we played in the water and did all things a kid would do."
Thornton said being involved with the Trestle Trail is a full-circle experience for her. "As time went by, the train was pulled out in the early 90s, but I still continued to bring my kids down here because they liked to play on it as well because they'd cross the bridge and go over to the other side." She explained.
If TxDOT approves the project, the city will get a ten-million-dollar grant to fund it.
"If you can on your bike and ride down to the Oso to do a little fishing, a little bird watching or get in your kayak and paddle over to the bridge then that's a different kind of freedom than kids are used to." Thornton said.
She told 3NEWS the project has been a thought for several years and the ball is finally rolling. She said, "I've just been praying so hard, and I know it's going to happen."
The application for the grant is due on June 4th. On Tuesday, the city will vote for or against the project.
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