Members of the city’s Historic Landmark Commission were blindsided this month when they were asked to sign off on the demolition and replacement of the 100-year-old Barton Springs Road Bridge – more than two years after City Council had decided its fate.
It’s unusual for the commission to receive a case after the fact, particularly one involving an iconic public structure in a National Register Historic District like Zilker Park.
The commissioners’ approval is needed as part of an ongoing state review of the bridge project since federal dollars are funding a portion of the construction. The Texas Historical Commission and the state Department of Transportation are conducting the review…