Grant will make new Rio pedestrian bridge a reality

Preliminary design of the new pedestrian bridge, courtesy of Southwest River Engineers of Pagosa Springs.

Alamosa awarded over $4.7 million

WASHINGTON, D.C.­– A nearly $4.8 million grant was awarded Wednesday to the Rio Grande Intermodal Transportation Project that will help erect a pedestrian bridge over the river connecting trails on both sides of the Rio in Alamosa. The funds are coming from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program.

The project will fund the construction of a new pedestrian bridge across the span of the Rio Grande River channel in the Adams State University neighborhood. This project includes acquisition of right-of-way, design, permitting, engineering, and construction of the following: trailhead parking lot, ADA accessible ramp and surfacing of the approach to the bridge, and construction of the tied arch bridge (approximately 320 feet long and 14 feet wide) with steel reinforced abutments.

John Reesor with Alamosa Parks and Recreation said construction probably wouldn’t begin until late 2023 at the earliest.

“The first step in the process will be working with the U.S. DOT and engineers to come up with plans for the bridge and ensure that we have completed all of the necessary studies and permitting,” Reesor said. “This process will also include working diligently with the Army Corps as the bridge interfaces with the levee system. Once the design, engineering, and permitting process is complete and once the DOT has given us the "authorization to proceed", we will begin with construction activities.

“The timeline is somewhat uncertain until we begin working with the DOT and engineers,” Reesor continued. “Our grant application timeline stated we would begin engineering and permitting this fall. With construction beginning late 2023 and going into early 2024.

“However this is all tentative until we start diving into the project with engineers, the U.S. DOT, construction companies, and bridge manufacturers etc.”

Colorado U.S Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Colorado Governor Jared Polis welcomed $45.8 million for three Colorado projects coming from this year’s $1.5 billion in RAISE grants from the Bipartisan Inflation Law. 

“This announcement is like a lightning spark for the Alamosa community that has been decades in the making. This bridge will be a tremendous asset to our community that will connect neighborhoods and Adams State University to the Rio Grande, our trail system and other outdoor amenities that will enhance our quality of life, help us retain our workforce and help our city thrive into the future. I want to thank the Revitalize the Rio Committee, San Luis Valley Great Outdoor Coalition and our hard-working staff, especially John Reesor, for getting this project to this point,” said Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman. 

“What an incredible opportunity for Alamosa to see this bridge come to a reality. It has been a long time coming for our community, this will not only benefit outdoor recreation but will add another transportation alternative directly to Adams State. I’m so proud of the work John Reesor and the City of Alamosa put into this proposal,” said Mick Daniel, Executive Director, San Luis Valley Great Outdoors. 

 "Alamosa County is pleased to be a contributing partner to the success of the pedestrian project.  This bridge will complete a walking and biking loop that the citizens of Alamosa County will enjoy for years to come," said Commissioner Michael Yohn, Chair, Alamosa County.

“Multi-modal projects such as this bridge have become increasingly important to communities within the region as they develop new initiative to improve pedestrian and bicycle routes to recreational opportunities and commercial centers.  The San Luis Valley Transportation Planning Region is please to support this proposal,” said Keith Baker, Chair, and Vern Heersink, Vice Chair, San Luis Valley Transportation Planning Region.

The RAISE grant program allows the federal government to invest directly in road, rail, and transit projects that achieve national transportation objectives. Funding can support multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to fund through traditional DOT grant programs. To help meet the overwhelming demand for these grants, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $7.5 billion for RAISE grants over the next 5 years.

According to Southwest River Engineering of Pagosa Springs, the bridge type is a Tied Arch Bridge (TAB). This bridge type was selected for its large spans, appealing aesthetic, and flexible abutment layout.

The bridge location has a span of 320 feet from the top of the west levee to the top of the east levee. The TAB has a free span of 280 feet with a cantilever section of 20 feet on each side. The bridge deck is 14 feet wide and has a cast in place concrete surface. This bridge was selected to minimize abutment impacts to the levees, as well as clear spanning the majority of the 100-year floodplain to minimize impacts to flood conveyance.

 


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