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Thoughts on Pfluger Bridge extension
The just-opened extension of the Pfluger Bridge made my dash from the Austin American-Statesman offices to the TownLake YMCA for an interview yesterday extra speedy.
I hopped on my bike here at the newspaper office, pedaled down the hike-and-bike trail to the south end of the Pfluger Bridge, zipped across the span and — happy day! — down the new ramp that terminates near Luke’s Locker running store on the north side of the river. (Perfect location for them, by the way.)
From there it was easy to roll over to the YMCA, where I met with participants in the LiveStrong at the YMCA program.
The extension of the Pfluger Bridge opened in late February, after 10 months of construction. The 207-foot extension cost about $3.5 million.
It definitely makes the trip across West Cesar Chavez Street safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
I’ve got just one wee quibble — I wish the design meshed better with that of the rest of the pedestrian bridge.
To me, it seems disjointed. The main part of the bridge has metal rails that allow a gorgeous view of the river. It’s open and airy, and I can watch paddlers and rowers as I chug across it.
The new extension is paneled in long strips of wood.
Pedaling down the new extension is like coasting down a plank-lined halfpipe. It made me a little claustrophobic, and it’s going to feel hot and exposed in the dead of summer.
I’m happy it’s finally open, even if it is a bit of a Franken-bridge.
What do you think about the extension?
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Comments
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By MICHAEL
March 8, 2011 1:43 PM | Link to this
If you look straight down from above it looks like a bike seat! I wish south Lamar had a bike lane you could connect up with once you crossed the river heading south!
By Pam LeBlanc
March 8, 2011 2:02 PM | Link to this
Oh wow, Michael. It DOES look like a bike seat!!! Pam
By Greg
March 8, 2011 2:36 PM | Link to this
It doesnt mesh well with the original bridge but I do like the beautiful wood paneling which is unique.
By michael
March 8, 2011 3:39 PM | Link to this
I was wondering how much the wood cost in comparison with a steel rail structure. The wood is going to be hard to maintain. I would have liked a design that fit the rest of the bridge also.
By michael
March 8, 2011 3:42 PM | Link to this
How much did the wood cost in comparison to a steel rail design? The wood will be very hard to maintain and become unsightly and possibly dangerous over time. It looks a wee bit too extravagant compared to the rest of the bridge.
By michael
March 8, 2011 3:43 PM | Link to this
How much did the wood cost in comparison to a steel rail design? The wood will be very hard to maintain and become unsightly and possibly dangerous over time. It looks a wee bit too extravagant compared to the rest of the bridge.
By Michael C.
March 8, 2011 3:45 PM | Link to this
How much did the wood cost in comparison to a steel rail design? The wood will be very hard to maintain and become unsightly and possibly dangerous over time. It looks a wee bit too extravagant compared to the rest of the bridge.
By Charlie
March 8, 2011 4:17 PM | Link to this
Well, I love it, especially the roundabout and the one-way approach and departure lanes, the plantings and all. The design as I recall, wanted to mimic a similiar bridge at Millennium Park in Chicago. The wood, by the way, IPE, a hard wood that is sustainably grown in central and south america. It has the same fire rating as concrete. Cost is comparable to steel and it will be much less hot than steel in the sun. It can be resealed and you can let it weather to a soft grey. We used it for the big deck at Republic Square downtown.
By KC
March 8, 2011 5:33 PM | Link to this
We LOVE it! The wife and I and our 2 year old rode it for the first time this weekend and thought the wood was gorgeous. I get its point, too, which must be to kind of block out the unsightly view of Cesar Chavez. I think the option must have been to either be claustrophobic but pretty or be more open yet feel like you’re too close to traffic, smog, etc. I’m glad they designed it the way they did, and glad that Austin does things like this!
By Mongo
March 8, 2011 6:33 PM | Link to this
Pam, slightly off topic, but any idea why the Lady Bird Lake Trail between Stratford Dr & Barton Spring Rd is closed & for how long? I didn’t see anything on the COA website mentioning this closure
By maureen
March 9, 2011 10:33 AM | Link to this
I LOVE the bridge extension. The wood looks so lovely, I don’t mind it not matching the look of the rest of the bridge. It’s a charming sensory experience to be whizzing through this wooden lane all of sudden.
In regard the Stratford Drive closing, Austin on Two Wheels reports:
Starting on Monday, February 28th the City of Austin will be closing the Stratford Trail for 3-4 weeks for renovation of the trailhead at Barton Springs Road. The trail will be closed at both Stratford Drive and Barton Springs Road.
During construction there will be intermittent closures of the westbound Barton Springs bicycle lane. This will allow for construction of the new trailhead adjacent to the roadway.
By mrun
March 10, 2011 12:30 PM | Link to this
I was not at all involved in the design of the bridge, but I suspect that the reason it does not have open rails is that the span is so long that the supporting beams had to be so deep that if they had been underneath the bridge deck instead of on the sides of it, that it would not have provided enough clearance for traffic underneath. The wood is covering up the steel beams that you can see from the side.
I love the way the bridge looks on top but am not a fan of the way it looks from the side, even though I normally really like exposed steel. Overall, a great asset with a nice look and good photo ops. It looks especially cool all lighted up at night.
By t.k. o'brian
March 10, 2011 5:10 PM | Link to this
I’m with Mrun. Not a fan of the look from the road or the LBL H&B trail. Even if they had faced the steel with some bland concrete so it matched the rest of the bridge it would have looked more aesthetically pleasing from all vantage points. As is the huge profile of rusty steel makes it look like an uncompleted project. Unfortunately from the design, the huge rusty girders dominate your view more so than the nice landscaping that surrounds the landing. I hope this is not how it is intended to remain.