Pennybacker Bridge

When it opened on December 3, 1982, the Pennybacker Bridge was the second largest bridge of its design in the world.   The bridge is named for Percy Pennybacker who designed bridges for the Texas Highway Department and was a pioneer in the technology of welded structures.  The bridge won first place in the 1984 Federal Highway Administration's Excellence in Highway Design competition.  In 1992, members of the Austin Consulting Engineers Council of Texas selected the bridge as the most innovative example of Austin architecture.

Made up of 600,000,000 pounds of imported Japanese steel, this bridge was built to hold the freeway suspended above Lake Austin to connect north and south Loop 360 highway, also known as the Capitol of Texas Highway.  It was the last link to completing Austin's first highway loop circling the city.  The steel bridge has a distinct weathered rust finish that allows the bridge to blend in with the rolling hills and lakes of the Texas Hill Country.

A limitless feature for recreational activities, the bridge includes a six-foot-wide bike and pedestrian lane.  The bike access on the bridge is one reason for Loop 360's popularity with cyclists.  The south approach provides a turnaround under the bridge along with lake access for public boating.

From sprin's bluebonnets sprinkling the sides of the bridge, to the summer boaters and skiers driving below, to the slight change in colors on the trees in autumn, the Pennybacker Bridge has seen its share of beauty in its 26 years of existence.

The Pennybacker Bridge not only gives Austinites pleasure to drive across or peer among the rolling hills, but it has also given Austin the chance to grow to the successful city it is today.