AUSTIN, Texas — Crews are making progress on developing the Waterloo Greenway in Downtown Austin.
Most recently, they installed a 142-foot canopy suspension bridge over Waller Creek.
Developers say the bridge will be able to handle a high volume of pedestrians and bike traffic. They plan to put two more bridges over the creek to provide east-west access.
It's part of a bigger project to revitalize Waller Creek and create a 1.5-mile greenway stretching from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake. The project is now in phase two, known as The Confluence.
The bridge is designed to be as open-air as possible and create unobstructed views, according to developers.
“The design of the bridge allows for minimal impact on the surrounding ecological environment through the use of small foundations and a unique Vierendeel truss system,” a spokesperson for the Waterloo Greenway said. “This bridge will provide connectivity and access to natural beauty while remaining resilient to weather events and a high volume of pedestrian and bike traffic.”
The bridge was installed by crane on May 24 and fabricated by King Fabrication in Houston. It connects the Housing Authority of the City of Austin Lakeside Apartments on the west bank of Waller Creek with the trails adjacent to the Waterline Austin on the east bank.
Over the past year, progress has been made on other features at Waller Creek as part of the project, including the infrastructure and landscaping of a biofiltration pond, which will treat 22 acres of urban stormwater captured from near the Austin Convention Center. Foundations have also been completed for the 800-foot creek-level boardwalk that stretches from Palm Park to south of Cesar Chavez Street.
The two additional bridges will be delivered and installed over Waller Creek later this year.
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