East Austin pedestrian bridge gets federal funding

A planned East Austin pedestrian bridge now has federal cash behind it.

Driving the news: U.S. Rep. Greg Casar announced Thursday that the city has received more than $4 million through Congress' Community Project Funding to complete the construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Longhorn Dam.

---

Why it matters: The east end of the hike-and-bike trail has long been a thorn in the side of pedestrians and cyclists trying to safely cross from north to south, and it's been a high crash area for drivers.

What they're saying: "We've been talking about this bridge ever since the very beginning of my time on City Council, and there was just never quite enough money to build it," Casar tells Axios.

• Casar noted the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge has become a space where people can gather and be reminded of why they live in Austin.
• "The east side deserves something just as good, and I actually think this bridge will be even better," he said.

What's happening: The "wishbone"-shaped bridge will span just under a half-mile and create a north-south connection to the existing hike-and-bike trail.

• There will be connection points at Longhorn Shores, Holly Shores and the peninsula near Holly Shores.
• The project also will update the pedestrian underpass running underneath South Pleasant Valley Road, adding lights to illuminate the tunnel.

A rendering of the underpass for pedestrians and cyclists at Longhorn Dam. Image: Courtesy of the City of Austin

Flashback: The city's Vision Zero program found that South Pleasant Valley Road, including the stretch passing over the Longhorn Dam, averaged one car crash every 11 days between 2015 and 2019.

• The city made interim fixes to Longhorn Dam by widening the shared-use paths and eliminating a car lane in 2022, and the updates provided better separation between people driving and people walking on South Pleasant Valley Road.
• The interim fixes also created a physical separation between north and southbound travel lanes to address head-on crash patterns.

Of note: The city previously dedicated $600,000 from several city funding sources, including the 2016 mobility bond, then $15 million from the 2020 mobility bond .

What's next: The project could go before City Council as soon as April 18.

• Once approved, construction is expected to begin this winter and conclude in 2026.

Sign up for Axios Austin for free.