West Sixth Street Bridge, Stone arch bridge in downtown Austin, United States

The West Sixth Street Bridge carries West Sixth Street over Shoal Creek on three limestone arches, each 24 feet wide at the base, with two piers standing in the creek bed. It is 90 feet long and 80 feet wide, the width set by Edwin Waller's 1839 city plan. Rusticated stone blocks rise to a parapet along the south edge; the north edge has a concrete curb and metal guard rail.

The structure was built in 1887 to replace an earlier iron footbridge from 1865, allowing wagon traffic between downtown and western neighborhoods. This shift from iron to limestone masonry demonstrated Austin's growing engineering capabilities during that period.

The bridge marks a turning point in Austin's urban expansion, as its construction enabled communities to grow west of Shoal Creek during that era.

The bridge carries four roadway lanes with parallel parking and sidewalks on both sides, at 800 West Sixth Street at the west end of downtown. A concrete footpath runs along the creek bed beneath the west arch, giving access below the deck. Repairs have followed flood damage on Shoal Creek, so the crossing can be affected in high water.

The bridge's 80-foot width matches the street width set in Edwin Waller's 1839 city plan, and its three arches were built instead of the two the council funded in 1887. The south parapet is rusticated limestone; the north edge has a concrete curb and metal guard rail on wooden posts.