COLORADO SPRINGS — The Platte Avenue Bridge over Sand Creek Trail is officially complete after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.
The bridge was reconstructed between Wooten Road and Powers Boulevard after a decade of planning. Originally two parallel bridges, the finished project now stands as one overpass.
The City of Colorado Springs said the bridges were nearing the end of their service and a new plan was needed to protect the Sand Creek Trail underneath Platte Avenue.
"In 2004, there was some damage to the piers from some flooding events on Sand Creek. So that's really what started identifying the bridge as a problem. And again, in 2012, the decision was made that we're going to have to do some kind of major rehab and replacement project," said City Engineer Gayle Sturdivant.
Consistent flooding of the creek has caused significant damage to the bridge, with crystalline deposits of salt and rust stains forming on the concrete surfaces. In 2018, the city underwent a stabilization project to reshape the creek and installed grouted boulder drop structures to step the creek down, ultimately preventing erosion and adding flood protection.
Sturdivant said the Platte Avenue project gave them an opportunity to fix up the trail as well.
"It also gave us an opportunity to extend the Sand Creek Trail underneath the bridge on the east side. So it gives us the ability to open up that area for other users," she said. "The Parks Department is always looking for opportunities to be able to continue to expand that trail and improve it for the users on the east side of Colorado Springs."
She said sidewalks were also installed on each side of the bridge to accommodate more pedestrians and bicyclists. The whole project cost $14 million, with $5 million coming from Pikes Peak Regional Transportation Authority money and the rest from a federal grant.
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