A little over one mile separates the east and west sections of the hike and bike trail on Lady Bird Lake. The city's transportation department believes the gap is a serious issue.

Robert Spillar is the Transportation Director for the City of Austin.

"That's a project that represents a major gap in our intercity transportation network. We think it's important," he said.

Fixing the gap would cost $17 million. In the initial transportation bond proposal, about 20 percent of the funds would be used to connect the trail's end on the west side of Interstate-35 to the east side.

The transportation department believes the link is an important safety step.

"Along Riverside it's very interesting. In fact, I just observed traffic on the sidewalks there this past weekend. In a short time I counted 50-plus people jostling for space on what now is a very narrow sidewalk along a very busy arterial," Spillar said.

Councilmember Bill Spelman believes using transportation bond money on the trail could be a legal issue.

"If it's just a trail that's going to be used for recreational purposes, then it can't be in a transportation bond. It has to be in a parks bond," he said.

If the trail could be used for commuting, it would be more viable for a transportation bond.

"If it's going to be used for transportation for people to get to work, get to the store, get around the neighborhood, then that's legitimately transportation,” Spelman said.

In the long run, Spelman said the trail might connect people to an enhanced transit system.

It still remains unclear if the transportation bond will pay for the boardwalk.