The 112-year-old Alameda Bridge that hangs over Interstate 25 and the South Platte River in Denver is Colorado's oldest bridge, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is in the middle of replacing it.
Originally constructed in 1911, and widened in 1966 after a flood in 1965, it is the oldest bridge in the state highway system, according to CDOT.
For years, people have raised concerns about the safety of the bridge.
Drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians will soon have a new way to safely cross the South Platte River with a new structure.
The project will also reconfigure the I-25 South Santa Fe Drive interchange, eliminating South Platte River Drive from Alameda to Cedar, and divert traffic to the widened South Lipan Street north of West Alameda Avenue.
The South Platte River Trail is to be reconstructed with an increased 12-foot concrete trail, a four-foot finely crushed stone trail, and three-foot vegetated shoulders for an overall trail width of 22 feet.
The project began in January, and is expected to go through December 2024.
The contractor on the project is Ames Construction.
The Alameda Bridge project is the third largest bridge project in the state with a price tag of $22.8 million.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew held a press conference Tuesday to provide an update on the project.
"This project is going to make it safer for all those crossing the river and for the bicyclists and pedestrians connecting to the South Platte greenway trail," DeGette said. "It will provide more options for people trying to get from one side to the other whether by foot, by bike or by car which will help bring the communities on both sides of the river together."
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Source: 9News.com
