A planned pedestrian and bicycle bridge that will connect northern and southern shores of Lady Bird Lake in East Austin is taking shape in East Austin. The city’s Capital Delivery Services, sponsored by the Transportation and Public Works Department, has completed a number of steps on the new wishbone-shaped structure, according to a press release. Completed construction includes:

  • Sealing of the former tunnel under South Pleasant Valley Road. The tunnel was backfilled with controlled low-strength material (CLSM) concrete and sealed with concrete cap.
  • Removal of pedestrian bridge across Holly Shores Peninsula.
  • Construction and excavation of the east side of the new underpass under South Pleasant Valley Road.
  • Construction of abutments along Canterbury Park, Longhorn Shores and the unnamed peninsula. Abutments are the support structures that the wishbone-shaped bridge will rest on.

The $23 million Longhorn Dam Multimodal Improvements project, as the infrastructure is officially though not commonly called, includes a bicycle and pedestrian bridge that will connect to the Ann & Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail to the Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Longhorn Shores, Holly Shores, and unnamed peninsula currently connected by a small pedestrian bridge. The city will also build and a new underpass for pedestrians and bikers under South Pleasant Valley Road. 

The new bridge will allow bicyclists and pedestrians complete separation from cars. Project plans include a shaded plaza area, lighting, benches, and other people-friendly features and a new trail underpass at Pleasant Valley Road. The total bridge length will be approximately 0.43 of a mile, and it will have an average width of 30 feet.

The planning and approval process for the bridge started in 2018, and its original budget was $15 million. Austin voters approved $20 million for the project in a 2020 bond election, but escalating costs and an expanded scope drove the budget higher. A $4.1 million federal grant obtained in 2023 helped fill the gap.

The city expects to finish the bridge in 2026.