Over and over, a trio of men risked their lives, climbing the 30-foot base of the Lamar Blvd. bridge and jumping back into the Colorado River.
Austin Parks and Recreation Director Sara Hensley stared in disbelief at the photos documenting the daredevils.
"There's always somebody who likes to push it to the limit," Hensley said. "I understand that they like to do their own recreation, but the point here is it's not safe… It's common sense. You don't jump off the bridge into a water that fluctuates in raising and lowering, because you will not be able to tell how deep the water is."
Lady Bird Lake, Austin’s metro section of the river, averages a 14-foot depth, but as you approach the bridge, the bottom is just inches away. As Texas announces the lake as an official Paddling Trail, the state Parks and Wildlife Department had concerns with the daredevil details.
Director Carter Smith said, "Make sure that you're setting an example for all who are following you, particularly our children who are looking for us to model good behavior on the waterways."
Austin city code prohibits swimming in the lake, beyond emergencies. It also bans bridge jumping, with even fewer exceptions. The mayor's support of a film called "Jumping Off Bridges" is one of the last allowed cases.
Police, fire, and EMS all say they do not document the specifics. In fact, one EMS officer told Austin News that any injuries are between the jumper and his doctor. People who found out the jumpers' antics had inspired more people to climb the bridge that day say the city should do something to stop it from happening again.
Alice Cashman suggested, “Barbed wire. They should wind it around the top.”
Hensley said, "We may have to work inter-departmentally to post some signs about breaking the law."
After acknowledging that police only occasionally patrol the lake, she showed the photos to police, who soon plan to have boats patrol the lake on weekends.
Check out Josh's " Living Off The Air " blog post about bridge jumping for all the photos and more details about the story.
