MLK Bridge project moves forward

The Journal Gazette reported today that the Board of Public Works approved the $8.1 million Martin Luther King Bridge replacement deal

[...] The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge was scheduled to be replaced by the state, and the city agreed to partner with the state transportation department to make it more than a simple concrete span.

“This is a rather unique project,” City Engineer David Ross said. “It is a gateway for entry to our downtown area. It does have a lot of significance.”

The city completed three public workshops to allow residents to help select the style for the new bridge. An arched, truss-style bridge with pedestrian/bike trails on both sides was chosen. Final design details will be determined as the project progresses.

The approved contract sets a timeline and budget for the project. The state will pay $6.2 million, while the city is responsible for $1.9 million. Ross said the city hopes construction can begin in 2010 and the work would be completed in 2011, the last year of Henry’s current term.

Other than serving as an aesthetic entrance to Fort Wayne, the project will reduce maintenance costs for the state and coincide with the state’s plan to improve Clinton north of the bridge in the future. The bridge was built in 1967 and rehabilitated in 1985. Its sufficiency rating is 64.6 out of 100. The city said this is a concern but that there is no immediate threat to public safety.

If not included in the design already, it would seem prudent to construct the support structures to allow the free flow of natural debris.  The waterway beneath the existing bridge appears clogged more often than not, making it unnavigable for boaters and river enthusiasts.  Since the report specifically refers to the design as an “arched, truss-style bridge” this seems to indicate that few (if any) river-anchored columns will be present. Problem solved.

Of course this begs the question, “Where will the debris flow if it travels unencumbered by the new bridge?”