The most visible signs to date for construction of the 450-foot long span, 120-foot-high central arch University District pedestrian bridge recently emerged with the erecting of towering concrete columns needed to support the bridge.

Cost of the $15.4 million project, which also includes engineering, design, and property acquisition, will serve as a connector from the U District to East Sprague--started in early summer of 2017 and will be completed this fall.

“There isn’t an exact date at this point, but we anticipate it will be finished this fall,” says Mark Serbousek, a city bridge engineer with the City of Spokane Engineering Services Department.  

When finished, the deck of the pedestrian and cycling bridge will sit 35 feet above the BNSF Railway Co. tracks below.

Spokane-based Garco Construction Inc. is the general contractor for the project.

The initial design was developed by a consulting team that included KPFF Consulting Engineers, of Seattle; Taylor Engineering Inc., of Spokane; the Spokane office of GeoEngineers Inc.; the Spokane office of LMN Architects LLP; MW Consulting Engineers PS, of Spokane; SPVV Landscape Architects, of Spokane; and Northwest Dynamics Inc., of Coeur d’Alene.

The bridge will connect the U District to the east Sprague Avenue neighborhood, opening up potential for greater expansion in the southern part of the district. Avista Development plans to build the $50 million Catalyst Building near the southern landing of the bridge, with the potential for additional buildings there in the future.

The U District is home to Gonzaga University, the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, other WSU schools, and programs for Eastern Washington University, University of Washington, and Community Colleges of Spokane.