The James D. Pfluger Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is a beautiful piece of architecture used by pedestrians and bicyclists in downtown Austin, Texas. The bridge spans over Lady Bird Lake and connects the north and south sides of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.
This exceptional bridge opened in 2001 and has brought in attention from locals and visitors from all over the world. One feature that makes this bridge extremely unique is its unusual “double curve” design. Before the bridge was constructed, people grew very annoyed about the resources for pedestrians and bicyclists trying to cross the lake.
The Lamar Boulevard Bridge, which runs parallel to the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, carries road traffic across the lake. But this bridge offers no bicycle lanes and very narrow sidewalks for pedestrians. When Austin’s population really started to grow in the 1980s, this posed a very serious problem for the city and its inhabitants. After many years of back-and-forth negotiations, the city decided to construct a separate bridge, the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, which started being constructed in the year 2000. In June the following year, the bridge was open for public use.
After the completion of the bridge, locals loved having the ability to travel throughout Austin without feeling unsafe with cars and other obstacles. And with the large area of room on the bridge, people thought the build was well worth it. In addition, a great feature of this bridge is that it connects to a trail system in Austin.
That way users don’t have to move off the trail and take a detour to get back on the trail—all you have to do is stay on track and enjoy the amazing views that downtown Austin has to offer. Additionally, over the past decade, certain upgrades have been completed to make the bridge even more user-friendly.
The Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge is located on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail in Austin, TX. The bridge is found near the heart of downtown Austin, and is about 200 feet to the east of the Lamar Boulevard Bridge. The length of the bridge is about 810 feet, and the width varies from 23 to 42 feet.
Built by the architect companies, Kinney & Associates and Carter Design Associates, the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge is one of the most popular pieces of architecture in the entire city of Austin.
From helping pedestrians enjoy the city safely to providing better access of travel for bicyclists, the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge is a notable piece that makes Austin one of the greatest cities in America.
