San Antonio's 150ft wildlife land bridge opens over highway

Phil Hardberger Park in San Antonio, Texas, features a 150-foot-wide land bridge named after Robert LB Tobin, designed to safely connect wildlife and pedestrians across a six-lane highway. The 311-acre park, named after former mayor Phil Hardberger (2005–2009), was built on a former dairy farm and restores native Texas prairie, of which only 1% remains. Landscape architecture firms Stimson Studio and Rialto Studio preserved 75% of the park as prairie, with the rest for picnic areas, an urban ecology center, and parking. The bridge, inspired by European wildlife crossings, opened in 2020; within six months, coyotes, deer, bobcats, and small mammals were spotted using it. Eight-foot steel walls block highway views and noise, while circular cutouts provide airflow. The bridge is slightly warmer than the park due to materials and young vegetation. Eight miles of trails feature native plants like Texas thistle and creeping oxeye. Local artist Ashley Mireles contributed to wildlife viewing sheds. Over 180 migratory bird species have been recorded. Gregory Tuzzolo of Stimson Studio emphasized connectivity's importance for ecology.