W 6th St bridge Damage

Detecting an anomaly indicative of overtopping.

A makeshift (not to safety code) pedetrian guardrailing.

Since at least 2014-2024, the North side of the W 6th St bridge had been missing its original pedestrian guardrailing.

As the North side of the bridge faces water flow that meets its most narrow channel South of the W 12th St bridge, it stands to reason the highway-styled guardrail was constructed as a temporary fixture to a guard rail damaged by overtopping.

It's also worth noting that while a short highway guardrail designed for... highways... is no way safe for pedestrians (particularly children), its design can accommodate overtopping.

A highway guardrail has a lot of spaces to allow water to pass through it onto 6th St, thereby decreasing resistance and lowering the likelihood of the guardrail sustaining damage in the event of overtopping.

What a bad makeshift guardrail and its restoration likely indicate.

The highway guardrail was likely put in place on the North side of the W 6th St bridge due to destruction caused, at some point in time, by floodwaters.

The W 6th St bridge has relatively low and narrow passages to accommodate heavy water flow.

Floodwater that measures near 16 ft at the much taller and wider W 12th St bridge, can become higher in elevation from, i) the narrowing of Shoal Creek as it moves South and, ii) as water volume is increased from runoff and storm sewers between W 12th St and W 6th St. This may be true of floodwater that measures at even 10-12 ft.

The W 6th St bridge not being able to accommodate heavy floodwater (and the debris carried with it) could cause backwater and overtopping, which could have degraded and/or destroyed the original stone guardrail.

A reasonable question, beyond what caused the need for the W 6th St bridge restoration, is why it took so long to restore a piece of essential infrastructure that is a significant Texas historical landmark predating the State Capitol Building?

AustinShoalCreek.com

W 6th St bridge prior to 2024 restoration

Detecting an anomaly indicative of overtopping.

A makeshift (not to safety code) pedetrian guardrailing.

Logic would dictate that the original North side pedestrian guardrail resembled what is in place on the South side of W 6th St.

The North side guardrail saw a restoration in 2024, as pictured below.

What a bad makeshift guardrail and its restoration likely indicate.

W 6th St bridge prior to 2024 restoration

Detecting an anomaly indicative of overtopping.

A makeshift (not to safety code) pedetrian guardrailing.

Logic would dictate that the original North side pedestrian guardrail resembled what is in place on the South side of W 6th St.

The North side guardrail saw a restoration in 2024, as pictured below.

What a bad makeshift guardrail and its restoration likely indicate.

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