SAN ANTONIO – A land bridge project to connect Phil Hardberger Park East and West is getting closer to its groundbreaking.
The Historic and Design Review Commission approved the $25 million plan, which will now go before San Antonio City Council for a vote in the summer.
Paul Berry, a spokesperson for Transportation and Capital Improvements, said the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department put up $1 million, San Antonio city committed another $1 million and a bond passed in 2017 will make up about $13.5 million and the private sector will pick up about $10 million.
“I think once it’s set and done, people will like it,” Berry said.
Sara Traugott visits the parks from her neighborhood nearby. She thinks a land bridge will be a nice addition and will be beneficial to wildlife.
“We have a lot of wildlife that get stuck in the neighborhoods. In our last neighborhood, we had deer in the front yard eating the landscape,” she said.
Designers said the bridge would be for people, but it will also benefit animals in the area that cannot get across Wurzbach Parkway safely.
The bridge will go along the parkway between Blanco Road and Northwest Military Drive. It is not expected to impact the nearby homes but will impact traffic during parts of the construction.
The bridge will take about 18 months to complete once groundbreaking takes place according to Berry.