About the Project
The Street Transportation Department is in the early design phase for the first and only dedicated bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Rio Salado (Salt River). The bridge will provide a seamless, safe, and comfortable connection across the Rio Salado for residents walking and biking.
The scope of this project consists of constructing a bridge across the Rio Salado River generally along the 3rd Street alignment. The riverbank trails along the southern bank will also be improved through the addition of low-emitting solar pedestrian-scale lighting and pathway amenities between Central Ave and 40th Street.
What will the Bridge Look Like?
Community input drove the development of preliminary aesthetic concepts. Engagement with youth and community members provided the study team with feedback and input to develop design themes and inform the impression, aesthetics, inspiration, amenities, and desired experience of the proposed bridge.
Three main design concepts were developed during the planning phase of the project. There is an artistic rendering of the preferred bridge type below. This concept features an arched gateway on the southern end of the bridge. The structural span of the bridge arches over the Rio Salado and is meant to evoke the handle of a Native American basket. Additional public engagement will help refine the bridge design and associated aesthetics.