Artists have prepared a nice rendition of a new pedestrian bridge connecting the north and south sides of the river in downtown Glenwood Springs. Why a new pedestrian bridge when a very fine bridge exists? All it needs is a better connection at Seventh Street, but not one costing $6 million, the estimated cost of a new bridge. Costs are often underestimated, so the final cost will probably be higher. Does the estimated cost include the cost of relocating the water line and other utilities?

A new pedestrian bridge was never mentioned during the early presentations about bridge options. Could it be that the designers suddenly discovered that a main feed for water into Glenwood Springs is hung between the girders of the old bridge, so a replacement structure had to be added to the plan and completed in-place prior to the old bridge being removed. A year or so in the construction schedule must be added for building this special bridge before much else can be done. Perhaps, the bridge should be titled “A new utility bridge modified to carry pedestrians.”

The designers seem intent on making a “bridge replacement” project into an urban renewal project.

Dick Prosence

Meeker