Bastrop’s historic Old Iron Bridge will be able to glow in different colors by the holiday season.

The gist: Bastrop City Council approved a $300,000 change order June 26 to add 24 RGB lights to the bridge’s three existing trusses as part of the rehabilitation project.

Project Manager Elizabeth Wick said the lights will shine down from the white portions of the bridge and can be changed manually through a panel near the bridge.

By the numbers: The contractor’s cost breakdown includes 24 RGB lights at $5,000 each, or $120,000, while the remaining costs are tied to conduit, wiring, junction boxes, a lighting control panel and related work.

The change order will be paid from the project contingency, leaving $972,460.77 for future project needs.

What’s next: Wick said the change will push the project’s completion date from Sept. 11 to Oct. 30.

Franchise owner Stephen Thomas will open Bastrop County's first Kung Fu Tea in Burleson Crossing East.

In a nutshell: As previously reported by Community Impact, the brand offers freshly brewed, customizable milk and fruit teas, as well as the brand’s signature Wow Bubbles—a brown sugar-cooked version of regular boba, which is usually marinated in honey.

What else? Other menu options include freshly squeezed lemonades and slushes, as well as vegan, dairy-free and nut-free options.

• Opening this fall
• Burleson Crossing East, 663 W. SH 71, Ste. 111, Bastrop

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects

New Braunfels EDC invests $405K in pedestrian improvements: The NBEDC is funding the final design of Phase 2 of pedestrian improvements along five roadways. If approved, construction is expected to begin in 2028.

Ongoing projects

Legacy Ranch Drive expansion
Project: Crews are working to expand approximately 0.6 miles from Seward Junction North Loop in Liberty Hill to a CR 258 extension east of US 183, including new signals, pavement improvements, and turn lanes serving a future LISD site. 
Update: Contractors broke ground March 6.

• Timeline: completion expected this summer
• Cost: $1.4 million
• Funding source: Williamson County 2023 road bond

A new data-sharing program is helping Austin identify and fill potholes on city streets using data gathered by Waymo autonomous vehicles through the Waze for Cities platform.

The details: The free initiative involves Waymo vehicle systems tracking pothole locations and reporting them to transportation agencies.

Data is also shared with Waze users, who can be alerted of pothole reports and verify their accuracy through the navigation app.

A closer look: Austin street and bridge crews filled more than 1,800 resident-reported potholes in 2025, and several dozen potential pothole locations have already been identified through the Waymo data-sharing initiative so far this year. 

Waymo vehicles in Austin are reporting the latitude, longitude and on-street placement of potholes.

Going forward: Officials said the Waymo data-sharing program is intended to expand and could begin to include other types of reported information in the future.

Austin's summer heat can affect mental health, particularly for people managing conditions like schizophrenia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder, according to Ziyad Nuwayhid, chief medical officer at Integral Care, Travis County's mental health authority.

The impact: Nuwayhid said mental illness can impair temperature perception, and some psychiatric medications reduce the body's ability to stay hydrated.

A 2026 study by UT Austin researchers and the city found 85% of Austin single-family homes pose significant heat risk for elderly residents during a heatwave combined with a power outage.

Keep in mind: All Austin Public Library branches and Austin Parks and Recreation facilities serve as cooling centers during normal operating hours, according to Austin Emergency Management.

Travis County community centers are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CapMetro offers complimentary rides to cooling centers when cooling hours are extended for those who cannot afford fare, according to the city.

Integral Care operates a 24-hour crisis hotline for mental health support and cooling shelter referrals.