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Fort Wayne Reveals Renovation Plans For Spy Run Bridge

The City of Fort Wayne and members of the state General Assembly announced plans for “significant upgrades” to the bridge along Spy Run Avenue near the Old Fort.

Under the plan, it will also be renamed the “Fort Wayne Veterans Memorial Bridge.”

The upgrades are inspired by work previously done on the city’s Martin Luther King bridge, though won’t be as massive. As such, the new bridge will be pedestrian-friendly and feature a rail to guard pedestrians from traffic.

The bridge will still provide three lanes for vehicular traffic.

Public Works director Shan Gunawardena says the city’s work on Promenade Park makes the bridge a logical focal point for the city.

“The existing pedestrian walkway has been deemed to be substantially inadequate for the type of pedestrian activity we’ve seen, particularly since the riverfront development has occurred, and what we want to do is make this as much a great pedestrian experience as our MLK bridge,” Gunawardena said.

Currently, the bridge is named after former Indiana Governor Samuel Biggers. The City intends on dedicating McCulloch Park’s bandshell after him upon renaming the bridge.

Both actions require General Assembly approval, which is anticipated for the 2020 session. Once approved, construction would be a partnership between Fort Wayne and the Indiana Department of Transportation, with construction set to begin in 2022.

Zach joined 89.1 WBOI as a reporter and local host for All Things Considered, and hosted Morning Edition for the past few years. In 2022, he was promoted to Content Director.