Built in 1926, the Barton Springs Road bridge provides access over Barton Creek along Barton Springs Road at the entrance to Zilker Park. The bridge was widened to its current form in 1946, which includes two traffic lanes in each direction. The bridge also features narrow sidewalks along each side, guard rails and a sidewalk underneath.

While the existing Barton Springs Road bridge is in fair condition structurally, many of its features are functionally obsolete and require rehabilitation or replacement to ensure safety and longevity. Given that the existing bridge presents mobility challenges for vehicles, bikes and pedestrians, this project will provide needed mobility enhancements for all users. Intersection improvements to nearby Barton Springs Road and Azie Morton Drive are necessary as part of this project.

In November 2020, Austin voters approved $102 million for major infrastructure projects, with the possibility of allocating a portion of that funding to address the Barton Springs Road Bridge. The project is currently funded for completion of preliminary engineering, including finalizing a Bridge Conceptual Engineering Report (BCER), as well as developing a design for a preferred solution (rehabilitation of existing bridge or reconstruction of a new structure.) Future funding needs to be identified to move forward with construction.