Third Street Railroad Trestle, Railway bridge in downtown Austin, United States.
The Third Street Railroad Trestle is a wooden railway bridge in downtown Austin that spans Shoal Creek with eleven sections supported by twelve supporting posts. The entire structure uses pressure-treated pine timber and features an open-deck design.
The bridge was built in 1922 by the International-Great Northern Railroad to replace an earlier structure from 1876 that served Austin's first railway connections. This new bridge was part of modernizing the railroad network in the region.
The structure shows how railways once shaped Austin's downtown area, and visitors notice the careful wooden construction used by builders. Walking through or viewing it from below reveals the role transportation played in the city's growth.
The best place to view this bridge is from Shoal Creek's bank or the street below, where you can see the wooden structure clearly. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes if exploring the area, and watch for uneven ground.
This bridge is the last remaining wooden railway bridge in downtown Austin and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. That recognition honored its value as one of the final examples of this type of construction.
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