Bastrop's Old Iron Bridge to get color-changing lights ahead of holidays

Bastrop’s historic Old Iron Bridge will be able to glow in different colors by the holiday season after Bastrop City Council approved a $300,000 lighting addition to the bridge’s rehabilitation project June 26.

What happened

The change order with Jay-Reese Contractors Inc. will add 24 RGB lights to the bridge’s three existing trusses. The lights will be installed on the white portions of the bridge and shine downward, Project Manager Elizabeth Wick said during the meeting.

The lights can be changed manually through a panel near the bridge, Wick said, noting they come with a one-year warranty. City documents state the lighting also complies with Bastrop’s Dark Sky regulations.

The cost

The contractor’s cost breakdown includes 24 RGB lights at $5,000 each, or $120,000, while the remaining costs are tied to conduit, wiring, junction boxes, a lighting control panel and related work.

The $300,000 change order will be paid from the project contingency, according to city documents. After the change, the remaining contingency will total $972,460.77.

Zooming out

The work is part of a broader rehabilitation project that includes a concrete deck, steel truss components, railing, paths connecting to the June Hill Pape Riverwalk trail below, and more.

What’s next

Wick said the change will push the project’s completion date from Sept. 11 to Oct. 30.