Hays Street Bridge

One of the most important Historical locations on the Eastside is the Hays Street Bridge, owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. For more than seven decades, the Hays Street Bridge provided an important transportation link for automobiles between San Antonio's Eastside and downtown. On July 23, 1982, the bridge was permanently closed to vehicular traffic because it was deemed structurally unsound. A committed group of city staff and citizens petitioned and were able to secure the bridge from Union Pacific Railroad to the City of San Antonio for Rehabilitation. The City of San Antonio was awarded $2.89 million through a statewide enhancement grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to rehabilitate the bridge solely for pedestrian and bicycle use and to restore the bridge's function as a "Gateway". The Adaptive reuse of this historic landmark reestablishes a significant link between the Dignowity Hill Neighborhood and downtown, which are separated by industrial property and Interstate Highway 37.