8/15/2013
Community input sought Aug. 22 on design options for Broadway Avenue Bridge
BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department is holding a community design workshop next Thursday (Aug. 22) for the Broadway Avenue bridge replacement project.
The workshop will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Washington Group Plaza (720 Park Blvd.) in the Central Plaza Training Room.
During the community workshop, the transportation department will present and gather input on several design options for the bridge, which crosses the Boise River. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2014/2015. The upcoming meeting will be the third workshop in a series that began early this year.
The first workshop, which was held in late February, allowed the transportation department to gather public input on the bridge’s structure and the roadway. The second workshop was an opportunity for community members to provide feedback on aesthetic design features such as railing, lighting and public art.
“Input gathered during this upcoming third design workshop will be used to further develop a range of design options for the project,” said Mark Campbell, the project manager for the bridge replacement. “After this workshop, ITD’s next steps will be to present a range of design options to the greater community during a public open house later this year.”
The transportation department announced its intent to rebuild the Broadway Bridge in mid-2012. After routine inspections, it was determined that the existing bridge, which was built in 1956, shows signs of wear. The structure also is too narrow for the high volume of cars, pedestrians and bicyclists that travel over it each day, particularly during events at Boise State University. Approximately 24,500 cars travel across the bridge each day and pedestrian and bicycle use continues to grow.
For more information, please visit www.itd.idaho.gov and click on Projects at the top of the screen. On the Projects page, click on Southwest Idaho on the left-side menu, then scroll down to the header “Design/Development Projects” and click on Broadway Bridge Replacement Project.