Montopolis Bridge
Also known as: US 183 Bridge at the Colorado R.; Tv0265-01-034
Why it's listed
Montopolis Bridge is a 1,221-foot steel truss crossing of the Colorado River in southeast Austin. It has five 200-foot riveted Parker through truss spans, four 52-foot steel I-beam approach spans, and concrete piers and arched bents. The Texas Highway Department built it from 1937 to 1938 to replace a late-1880s county bridge destroyed by the June 1935 flood. Vincennes Steel Corporation of Indiana won the contract with a bid of just under $254,000. Engineers designed the truss spans specially and added decorative touches, including beveled pier copings and a five-foot pedestrian walkway with an elaborate steel picket railing. The bridge is one of only two five-span truss bridges surviving on a Texas state highway. It was listed for its engineering significance. Newer bridges added in 1962-1963 and 1995 now carry most traffic, and the original truss bridge remains in service on the southbound frontage road of US 183.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant under Criterion C in the area of Engineering at the state level. Texas Highway Department engineers created a special design for its five riveted 200-foot truss spans, with decorative concrete and steel features. It is one of only two five-span truss bridges surviving on a Texas state highway and one of three surviving THD truss bridges with this type of decorative picket railing on a pedestrian walkway.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96001118, listed October 10, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 183, 8.1 mi. S of jct. with I-35, Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | October 10, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001118 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1937-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Bridge Designer: Texas Highway Department; Truss Fabricator and Bridge Builder: Vincennes Steel Corporation of Vincennes, Indiana |
| Architectural style | Other: Parker through truss bridge |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in place and carrying vehicular traffic as the southbound frontage road of US 183, retaining substantial integrity despite newer adjacent bridges. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.24541, -97.69135 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96001118.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6906133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.