Lamar Boulevard Bridge, Art Deco road bridge in downtown Austin, United States.
Lamar Boulevard Bridge is a road bridge in Art Deco style that crosses Lady Bird Lake, linking the north and south sides of Austin, Texas. It rests on six open concrete arches that give the structure its recognizable shape.
The bridge was completed in 1942, making it the second permanent crossing of the Colorado River at this point. It was built during World War II, which shaped the materials and methods used in its construction.
The bridge takes its name from Mirabeau Lamar, an early governor of Texas whose name appears across the city. Crossing it gives a clear sense of how Austin is divided by the lake and how the two halves of the city connect at water level.
The bridge carries car traffic and has a narrow walkway, so it is not the most comfortable crossing for pedestrians or cyclists. Those on foot or by bike are better off using the nearby Pfluger Bridge, which was built for non-motorized users.
Since 1983, specific views of the Texas State Capitol seen from the bridge have been protected by law, preventing any construction from blocking them. This makes the bridge one of a handful of places in the city where the sightline to the capitol is permanently kept open.
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