20260520-003, Barton Springs Road Bridge Project Recommendation — original pdf

Recommendation

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RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Environmental Commission Recommendation 20260520-003: Barton Springs Road Bridge Project WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission was given a briefing regarding the update for the Barton Springs Road; and, WHEREAS, the bridge is noncompliant with current ADA standards; and, WHEREAS, the Bridge deck is in need of replacement, and subsequently some of the spandrel beams may need to be replaced and other critical repairs made for the purposes of safety and utility; and, WHEREAS, the Zilker Park area was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1997 as the Zilker Park Historic District with the existing historic bridge as a contributing feature to the Historic District; and, WHEREAS, the citizens of Austin approved a Bond package in 2020, funding $11.1 million for the Barton Springs Road Bridge over Barton Creek; and, WHEREAS, the Austin City Council voted on May 2, 2024, to authorize a professional services contract for engineering services for the design of Barton Springs Road Bridge over Barton Creek in the amount of $9.0 million; and, WHEREAS, Austin Capital Delivery Services presented to the Environmental Commission on May 6, 2026, the preliminary plan for the new Barton Springs Road over Barton Creek; and, WHEREAS, the Historic Land Commission, on May 6, 2024, voted to request Council reconsider its decision to demolish the existing Barton Creek Bridge; and, WHEREAS, the Section 106 document supplied by Capital Delivery Services states, “Removal and replacement of the existing bridge would have as significant an impact on Zilker Park…and the larger mass and scale of the bridge and new design elements would not be complementary to the historic district’s existing physical aesthetics and would impact the historic district’s integrity of design, setting materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. As such, it is recommended that the bridge replacement option would have an adverse effect on the NRHP-listed Zilker Park Historic District.”; and, WHEREAS, the carbon dioxide (CO2) impact of replacing the current bridge is twice the impact of repairing the existing Bridge; and, . WHEREAS, construction of the new Bridge may require up to seven acres of Zilker Park to be “taken” for the purposes of constructing the new Bridge; and, WHEREAS, the Bridge is currently rated as a “6” and is “satisfactory” with “minor to moderate deterioration, such as cracks, rust or spalling, which may benefit from maintenance”; and, WHEREAS, the City must legally show that there is “no feasible and prudent alternative” to removing a historic bridge; and, WHEREAS, significant redactions have been made in the public documents concerning construction phases and load capacity of the existing Bridge; and, WHEREAS, demolition and reconstruction of the bridge with a larger highway-style bridge would directly disturb and damage archeological resources in the State-designated and protected Vara Daniel archaeological site; and, WHEREAS, with the limited information provided, there is reason to believe that the condition of the bridge has not been accurately presented to the Environmental Commission and that options for retaining the bridge have not been fully explored, including but not limited to the options provided in the 2023 Zilker Park Vision Plan for pedestrian, bicycle, mass transit, and vehicular traffic; and, WHEREAS, the historic value of the Barton Creek Bridge associated renovation costs cannot be accurately compared to its complete replacement by a new structure; and, WHEREAS, the environmental impact on Barton Springs of relocating the existing utilities and the Texas Gas lines which will require boring underneath Barton Creek cannot be accurately determined; and, WHEREAS, demolition and construction of a new bridge would cause substantial traffic problems and bring damage to the riparian, aquatic, historic, and archeological resources that would otherwise be damaged or entirely lost. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Environmental Commission recommends to Austin City Council that the Barton Springs Road Bridge be registered as a local historic landmark and rehabilitated with the following additions: • During the rehabilitation process, all efforts will be made to preserve the environmental integrity and health of the Area of Potential Effects (APE): o Monitor and mitigate noise pollution using decibel meters o Monitor and mitigate air pollution, particulate matter, and runoff in an effort to ensure the health and safety of parkgoers and endangered species in the springs below o Buttress the riparian habitat below with native species and protected areas o Ensure respect, protection, and care of all historic archaeological artifacts in the APE . • Build a separate pedestrian bridge that is aligned aesthetically with the existing historic bridge, utilizing natural materials where possible, and consider a future in which the existing bridge is entirely for pedestrian and non-vehicular traffic. • Maintain the sense of place and integrity of the original design that also creates an entrance and sets the tone to Zilker Park. • Demonstrate the need or justification for the increase in lanes on the bridge that do not match the lanes on Barton Springs Road. • Establish and maintain an annual maintenance plan for the Bridge to ensure it does not fall into disrepair in the future. • Deputize a public liaison for this project, create an easy-to-use online, public portal with relevant project documents (including the full Environmental Impact report), and hold more frequent, targeted meetings in the community for continued stakeholder engagement. Improve Barton Creek bank protection to prevent additional major damage. • • Review alternative traffic plans proposed by the 2023 Zilker Park Vision Plan, which recommended reducing the number of lanes of vehicular traffic through Zilker Park to a single lane in each direction via Barton Springs Road and diverting pedestrian and bicycle traffic through paths north of Barton Springs Road and adjacent to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden. • Conduct extensive archeological surveys of the Vera Daniels site to ensure none of the artifacts are damaged. • Adhere to requirements of the Heritage Tree Ordinance and Maintain Impervious Cover requirements as set forth in the Environmental Criteria Manual. • Determine the possible impact on Barton Springs turbidity levels of the use of heavy construction techniques required. • Include the Bridge into the Zilker Park National Register of Historic Places. • Study the potential impact on the endangered Barton Springs Salamander. • Develop an aggressive strategy for collecting, treating, and monitoring runoff from the new Bridge on Barton Springs Road into Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake and report runoff results to the Environmental Commission quarterly. • Develop and manage an aggressive plan to minimize erosion in, under, and around the new Bridge along Barton Creek and correct as necessary. • For safety purposes, restrict loads on the Bridge and limit to emergency vehicles and City transit buses. • Construct additional traffic calming devices and crosswalks on Barton Springs Road within • Zilker Park to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety. Include a full environmental impact report, which includes relocating utility/gas lines and other additional construction that would be needed for entirely replacing the Barton Springs Bridge. Date of Approval: May 20, 2026 Motioned By: Secretary Qureshi Seconded By: Commissioner Sullivan Vote: 8-0 . For: Chair Krueger, Secretary Qureshi, Commissioners Brimer, Changsut, Fierro, Fleury, Morrison, and Sullivan Against: None Abstain: None Off the dais: None Absent: Vice Chair Bristol and Commissioner Luecke Attest: _____________________________________________ Mariana Krueger, Chair