The City of Fort Wayne and the Indiana Department of Transportation officially broke ground on renovations to the bridge along Spy Run Avenue.
These renovations were revealed in October 2019, but COVID-19 got in the way of progress. The bridge will be renamed the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Mayor Tom Henry says using the bridge as a way to honor those who have served was an important decision.
“We wanted this particular bridge, that 30, 40,000 cars a day go over, to make sure that they never forget the veterans in our community,” Henry said.
Renovations will cost roughly $5.3 million; Fort Wayne will cover 34% of the expense, while federal and state resources will take care of the rest.
The bridge will remain three lanes, but will also offer “pedestrian width” to improve connectivity with downtown and The Old Fort. Improved light fixtures and greater space for pedestrian walkways will also be part of the project.
INDOT director of technical services Jason Kaiser praised the state’s partnership with the city on the plan, and asked for patience from residents as the project goes forth.
“Support for this project may waver a little bit over these next few months, as we’ll have to deal with a little bit of a traffic problem as this is being built," Kaiser said. "But I will ask that you bear with us these next several months because the results will be well worth the wait.”
R.L. McCoy is the lead developer on the project, and it is expected to be completed in summer 2023.
