Project details for the rehabilitation of the Old Iron Bridge in Bastrop were updated Aug. 26 after officials discussed the presence of the tricolored bat in the area.

The details

The contract amendment for design services with Austin-based Huitt-Zollars, at a cost of $59,600, came after three project issues were recently identified:
  • The need for a tricolored bat survey
  • A requirement from the Texas Historical Commission to use modern lighting fixtures instead of matching “old-style” light fixtures located throughout downtown Bastrop
  • The importance of evaluating the Old Iron Bridge for needed structural modifications to accommodate the new lighting system
The tricolored bat survey was called for after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality told city officials that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services planned to list the animal as an endangered species.

“[TCEQ] notified Huitt-Zollars that a tree survey of the area would be required because the tricolored bat has been identified to use trees to nest and that the preliminary assessment indicated would be impacted by the proposed project,” Elizabeth Wick, a project manager with the city of Bastrop, said in a staff report document.

Some background


The city hosted a kickoff event for the $10.1 million project July 26.
Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris welcomes residents to a rehabilitation kickoff event July 26 for the Old Iron Bridge project. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris welcomes residents to a rehabilitation kickoff event July 26 for the Old Iron Bridge project. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
“I grew up driving and riding across this bridge as a kid,” Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris told residents at the time. “It’s so narrow that you could probably get a high five from someone on the opposite side. It’s a staple of Bastrop, and beautifying it is something that has been on a lot of people’s hearts and minds for a long, long time.”

The project—to be completed by Dripping Springs-based Jay-Reese Contractors—will feature several improvements in addition to the decorative lighting, including:
  • Adding a concrete deck
  • Adding steel truss components
  • Installing railing
“We’re pretty confident that our expertise will [make this] a successful project,” said Isaac Lewis, a professional engineer with Jay-Reese Contractors.
Bastrop residents walk across the Old Iron Bridge following a rehabilitation kickoff event July 26. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
Bastrop residents walk across the Old Iron Bridge following a rehabilitation kickoff event July 26. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
The outlook

The Old Iron Bridge, which closed in 2018 in response to safety concerns, is now on track to reopen in the fall of 2026.

“We’re going to get it done, and we’re going to get it done on time,” Bastrop City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said.