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BASTROP — Bastrop’s Old Iron Bridge rehabilitation project continues to rack up its price tag, covering its bases with a preemptive bat survey and lighting changes.
City Council recently approved an additional $59,600 to the bridge’s design and construction contract. The increase includes $27,240 for a survey of nearby trees for tricolored bat nests, a precaution as the species is under consideration for endangered status, officials said.
According to Project Manager Elizabeth Wick, the survey was done during the design phase to avoid delays if protections were added mid-project.
“If this did happen mid-project, we would have to stop and conduct a tree survey because the bats have been found to nest in trees in this region,” she said. “So as a precaution we went ahead and did a tree survey during the design phase. They’re not on the bridge, but they are near the bridge.”
The remaining funds will cover lighting changes, according to officials. The Texas Historical Commission reportedly rejected the vintage- style fixtures originally approved by the city, ruling they were inauthentic to the bridge’s historic design.
Modern fixtures and lighted railings will be installed instead, according to Wick.
The contract total with engineering firm Huitt-Zollars stands at about $1.8 million and is being funded through the city’s 2025 bonds.
