Iowa State completes pedestrian bridge to Jack Trice Stadium
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Dodging traffic is a thing of the past for Iowa State University football fans with the completion of the $10 million East Gateway Bridge expected at the end of July.
The athletics department is paying for the quarter-mile long, elevated walkway with donor funds, Iowa State news director Angie Hunt said in an email. The bridge is located at the intersection of University Boulevard and South 4th Street.
The bridge connects the Jack Trice Stadium area to expanded parking east of the stadium including a new donor RV parking area. The project also includes a sidewalk outside the northeast corner of the stadium connecting the north plaza. The pedestrian walkway is an open-air bridge with no roof. The walkway will be open and accessible year-round.
The walkway will be ready for fans attending this year's first football game against Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 3, Hunt said.
University Boulevard, which connects the university to Highway 30 south of campus, runs under the new bridge. From June 28 to July 1 the roadway was closed every day for 12 hours overnight to allow for placement of the bridge trusses. Single-lane closures of one lane in both directions are expected to continue through July 22 between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Once the bridge is completed, work on project landscaping will continue through August but will not disrupt traffic, Hunt said.
Although Iowa State University Police said they couldn't pull traffic accident data for the area, Hunt said there have not been any pedestrian accidents or fatalities in recent years.
Hunt said pedestrians can still cross University Boulevard at the intersections of South 4th Street and South 16th Street at ground level if they prefer. However, because the project includes new fencing along the east side of the stadium, pedestrians crossing at other points will need to walk to South 4th Street or South 16th Street to enter the stadium.
Police officers and traffic escorts will continue to staff the intersections on game days to ensure safety, Hunt said.
Teresa Kay Albertson covers Ames and the Des Moines' southern suburbs for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her at talbertson@registermedia.com or 515-419-6098.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Iowa State's $10M pedestrian bridge to Jack Trice Stadium completed
