Bridges. I love bridges. There is something inherently beautiful about these structures that are designed to connect people and places. Over my years of traveling the world, I have crossed some of the most beautiful bridges on the planet and cautiously ventured across others.
As a fan of Texas Country Reporter, I have long been fascinated by the one-lane suspension bridge featured in the opening segment of the show — the Regency Bridge. This beautiful bridge spans a remote section of the Colorado River on the Mills-San Saba County line.
It is, perhaps, a little known fact that Texas has more bridges than any other state in the Union. And, of the more than 52,000 bridges in the Lone Star State, the Regency Bridge is the last suspension bridge in the State that is open to automobile traffic. That alone makes it worth a visit.
The iconic suspension bridge gets its name from Regency, a now-abandoned farming community on the Mills County side of the Colorado River. The first bridge built at the location in 1903 collapsed under the weight of a herd of cattle. A second bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1936.
The current Regency Bridge was built in 1939 and repaired and rededicated in 1999. In December 2003, kids shooting off fireworks accidentally started a fire on the wood decking, burning a hole in some of the planks. The bridge was repaired and today remains open to vehicular traffic.
The Regency Bridge is located at the intersection of Mills County Road 433 and San Saba County Road 137, both gravel roads. There is room to park on the Mills and San Saba sides of the bridge. The views from the bridge of the Colorado River and the surrounding countryside are absolutely beautiful.
If you find yourself anywhere near the Regency Bridge, make it a point to take a detour to drive across the bridge and to stop and enjoy the scenery. The bridge does not get much traffic because it has been bypassed by newer paved farm to market roads. That makes it even better and possible to enjoy the bridge and the vistas for long uninterrupted periods.