Jefferson Avenue Footbridge repairs to be completed after celebration

The Jefferson Avenue Footbridge rehabilitation project will not be completed in time for the Red, White and Bridge Bash set to take place on Commercial Street 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 1-2.

City spokesperson Kristen Milam said the rehabilitation was originally targeted for completion in time for the National Route 66 Centennial and America’s 250th celebrations. Those festivities include a May 1 bridge lighting ceremony and drone show from 6-9 p.m.; however, as the date approaches, completion of the project is not in the cards. The bridge is also scheduled to be the site of a choreographed musical light show starting at 8 p.m., however, according to the website of the National Route 66 Centennial Kickoff Celebration.

Among other festivities scheduled for May 2 is a bridge ribbon-cutting and rededication ceremony at 10 a.m.

Milam said the city’s rehabilitation team continues to navigate challenges due to the complexity of the structure as well as supply chain issues with specialized materials and equipment. Upon being asked, she verified that a delay in delivery of elevator components has had an impact on the timeline.

“We are hopeful to reopen the bridge this summer but are ultimately focused on completing the rehabilitation with the high level of care and quality this iconic structure deserves,” she said.

The C-Street celebration will include live performances, interactive activities, food vendors and other programming, according to the Visit Springfield, Missouri, website.

The footbridge spans 13 tracks of the BNSF Railway, linking its north and south sides. The $13 million rehab project, according to the project website, is paid for by $8 million from the state of Missouri’s fiscal 2024 budget, $2.5 million from bonds, $2 million from BNSF Railway to raise the structure 3-4 feet to facilitate railroad maintenance, $400,000 from city sales tax funds and $50,000 from the Commercial Club of Springfield, Missouri, according to past SBJ reporting.