Pfluger Bridge

Kudos to the city planning commission and the parks commission for the beautiful Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. It is one of the things I love about living downtown and nearby. It is beautiful, the width and length allows for lots of different activities be happening simultaneously as other reviewers have described. I use it daily in many ways – to walk the dog to get to the off-​leash dog park at auditorium shores; to break up my runs into 1.5 miles, 3.5 miles or longer loops; to cross the river for a bike ride; to meet my 6:00 a.m. cardio core workout class for circuits on the bridge, using the bars, the spiral ramp and stairs; to listen to local musicians, to watch the sunrise or sunset, to watch the rowing teams, to walk to work, to observe the community-​tended flower boxes, to walk to the Zach or Alamo Draft House on Lamar from downtown, or to meet friends.
It is flanked by a great dog park on both sides and is next to the Open Room community picnic table and usable sculpture (see also Open Room on Unilocal). It is very close to the many amenities at Auditorium Shores and is just about a mile from the edge of Zilker park.
There is some parking on 2^nd street and also on Riverside. Enjoy at any time of day or evening.

This bridge, which opened in 2001, serves it’s purpose… to get to the other side. But this is not just any bridge. It is beautifully constructed with garden boxes and benches on both sides so that you can stop and take in the view.
On any given day, runners, bicyclists and walkers alike zip across this as part of a daily or destination exercise routine around Town Lake (yes, I know they call it Lady Bird Lake). That has been it’s primary use to me when I am fortunate enough to have the time to trek downtown for more scenic physical activity. And while it facilitates getting to the other side for many exercisers, it is also a perfect spot to stop and watch the sunset or the sunrise. Many times, if I find myself driving in the vicinity of downtown before sunset, I will park my car and walk on over to the middle of the bridge to take it all in.
This past Saturday evening, after a run to Trader Joe’s, I looked at the sky and realized we might have an epic sunset, so I parked my car along W 2^nd Street, near the giant picnic table, fed the meter, and walked onto the bridge. People were beginning to congregate for the same thing, and there was a percussion group set up, providing appropriate sunset sounds, as we all stopped and took a reprieve from the bustle of the day.
From this vantage point, the Lamar Street bridge reflects perfectly on the water in the foreground of the sunset. When I was a morning person, I remember breathtaking sunrises over the Downtown Austin skyline from this bridge during many a weekend morning walk.
So, if you want a mini hiatus to break up the busyness of your day, or just to stop and smell the view, next time you find yourself in the vicinity of the Pfluger Bridge, I recommend you find a place to park, feed the meter, and take it all in.

I think this is another great spot to see the Austin skyline. It’s accessible from the town lake trail because you can easily cross from the north to south end of the lake. Lots of benches to sit there and enjoy the beautiful view of the city and water. Bikers, runners, and walkers come across this bridge, it’s a nice addition to the trail. Sometimes an ice cream bicyclist will ride by and you can purchase ice cream from him!

Pfluger Bridge is the best pedestrian bridge in Austin. The scenery around it is beautiful – from the graffiti of the train bridge to the east, the downtown skyline to the north, the hills to the west, and the trees to the south. The blue water of the Colorado River shimmering under the sunlight is also nice.
Tourists can come here to see a slice of Austin life:
— Critical Mass (bicycle riding group) meetings
— Hippies playing guitars
— People in small drum circles
— Runners, walkers, and cyclists crossing the bridge or taking a break
— People relaxing on benches
This bridge is beautifully-​landscaped with colorful flowers as well. In the evenings, the bridge provides a terrific view of the sunset. I like to slow down while crossing this bridge. Sometimes, I find a place to lie down and close my eyes.
A couple of years back, a sign explaining the history of the trail and a white ghost bicycle was mounted to the east rail. For a brief time, there was a public piano placed at the foot of the bridge under the spiral walk. The bridge also received an extension to the condos on the north shore of the lake, making the walk over to Luke’s Locker or Whole Foods much easier.
Pfluger Bridge is the pedestrian bridge that’s the east neighbor of North Lamar over Lady Bird Lake.