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The historic Barton Springs Bridge has been named one of Preservation Texas’ 2026 Most Endangered Places, fueling renewed attention on the proposed demolition of the century–old crossing in Zilker Park.
The annual list highlights historic sites across Texas considered at risk due to demolition, neglect, or redevelopment pressures. Preservation Texas announced the 2026 list this week, identifying the Barton Springs Bridge as one of six endangered places statewide.
The designation comes amid an ongoing debate over the city of Austin’s proposal to demolish and replace the bridge. City officials have argued the current structure suffers from concrete deterioration, does not fully comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards and needs major mobility and safety upgrades. However, preservation advocates argue demolition would erase a defining historic feature of Zilker Park and have pushed for rehabilitation alternatives now under federal review.
“The Most Endangered Places program was created to bring public attention to irreplaceable historic resources that are in imminent danger of loss, while encouraging preservation solutions and meaningful public engagement before demolition decisions become irreversible,” said Tere O’Connell, an architect specializing in historic preservation and former president of Preservation Austin.
O’Connell added that the designation reflects both the bridge’s historical importance and the growing concern over demolition plans.
The Austin City Council approved design work for a replacement project in 2023 and received a $32 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in November 2024 to help fund construction of the new bridge. The city council allocated another $9 million for project engineering and design last year. Because the project is expected to use federal transportation funding, it must undergo environmental and historic preservation reviews that require officials to evaluate alternatives to demolition and consider impacts to historic resources.
Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter said earlier this year he would pause efforts to secure additional funding for the replacement project until he was convinced demolition was the only viable option.
However, asked this week about the current status of the project, Alter told Austin Free Press, “To be honest, I don’t know the answer. I have not gotten an update on that in a while.”
The bridge is part of the Zilker Park Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic preservation documents note the area’s architectural, recreational, and environmental significance dating back to the early 20th century. Originally built in 1926, the bridge spans Barton Creek at the eastern entrance to Zilker Park.
The structure was widened in the mid-1940s and today carries vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.
Credit: Richard Stone
“The National Historic Preservation Act requires careful consideration of alternatives to demolition, and we share the concerns of local advocates that its replacement will not only diminish the historic character of Zilker Park, but that its replacement will be out of scale and inappropriate for what is one of Austin’s most important and visible parks. All alternatives should be explored before the bridge is removed and replaced,” Preservation Texas’s executive director Evan Thompson said in a statement to Austin Free Press.
Save Our Springs Alliance plans to hold a public centennial celebration for the bridge on June 21 highlighting both its history and ongoing preservation efforts.
O’Connell noted the announcement comes during National Preservation Month and just weeks before the bridge’s 100th anniversary on June 21. “This recognition underscores the growing public commitment to preserving the Barton Springs Bridge and strengthens the case for abandoning demolition in favor of preservation alternatives now under federal review,” she said.
O’Connell noted that stakeholders in the federal review process include Save Our Springs Alliance, Preservation Austin, Preservation Texas, the Zilker Neighborhood Association and Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
Preservation Austin also praised the designation, calling the Barton Springs Bridge “one of the most prominent features” of Zilker Park and criticizing the city’s handling of the replacement process.
“The City saw the replacement of the National Register-listed bridge as a foregone conclusion, circumventing their own processes that were designed to prevent this very outcome,” Preservation Austin said in a statement to the Austin Free Press. The group said that it plans to continue advocating for preservation alternatives and greater public engagement as the project moves through federal review.
Debate over the project intensified earlier this year after the city’s Capital Delivery Services paused its demolition application for the bridge following a public outcry. City officials said additional environmental review and public input were still needed before the Historic Landmark Commission could fully evaluate the proposal.
Historic Landmark commission members questioned why the commission was not brought into discussions earlier despite the bridge’s location within the Zilker Park Historic District. Commission Chair Ben Heimsath previously said commissioners were “flabbergasted” by the lack of consultation on a city-owned structure within a nationally recognized historic district.
Shelby Ligon is the editorial manager for Austin Free Press.
