Waller Creek Bridge

The Waller Creek Pedestrian Bridge is the initial component and first visible sign of the massive storm water management improvements to the southern, urbanized twelve blocks of Waller Creek's path through the heart of Austin to its mouth at Lady Bird Lake. Those storm water management improvements are part of a public safety enhancement called the Waller Creek Tunnel Project that will control flooding along the creek, benefit the entire Waller Creek District, and open 28 previously undevelopable acres to new enterprise. The bridge allows east-west circulation along the main alignment of Lady Bird Lake's north shore hike and bike trail. The improvements to the bridge consisted of widening its 6-foot width to 12-feet, in order to allow safe and smooth use by simultaneous, two-way pedestrian and bicycle traffic in a manner which makes the bridge and surrounding sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, the widening provided the opportunity to replace damaged, antiquated wooden railings, remove asbestos containing materials in the coating underneath the bridge, and improve the bridge's appearance. The final design is composed of lightly constructed, modular steel deck frame/railing sections that mount onto the existing concrete deck and precast pre-stressed highway bridge beams which constituted the old pedestrian bridge. Source: American Institute of Architects of Austin. Texas