Work underway on Jefferson Avenue Footbridge rehabilitation

 The city of Springfield was joined by construction crews and Commercial Street stakeholders for a June 18 ceremony that marked the formal start of long-held plans to rehabilitate the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge.

During the ceremony, crews removed a portion of the bridge as spectators watched from the C-Street Market Pavilion. The city previously announced that the historic structure would be taken down temporarily for the work.

“For more than a century, the Jefferson Avenue footbridge has connected more than just two sides of the tracks. It has connected neighbors, generations and given a deep sense of place that runs through our entire community and in fact the entire metropolitan area,” Mayor Jeff Schrag said at the ceremony. “This project has been a long time coming.”

Councilmember Monica Horton, who represents Zone 1, was among the speakers at the ceremony.

“It symbolizes our rich history, entrepreneurial spirit and resilient character,” she said of the footbridge. “I am excited to see this project kick off after so many years, and I can’t wait to see the bridge reopen.”

Branco Enterprises Inc. and Great River Engineering Inc. are working with the city’s Public Works Department as the construction team behind the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge project. The project website lists the financing as follows: an $8 million direct appropriation from the state of Missouri’s fiscal 2024 budget; $2.5 million in bond funding; $2 million from the BNSF Railway Co.; $400,000 from the city’s quarter-cent capital improvement and one-eighth-cent transportation sales taxes; and $50,000 from C-Street supporters. The project is slated for completion in early 2026.

The city closed the more than century-old, 562-foot-long bridge – crossing 13 railroad tracks between Commercial and Chase streets – in March 2016, citing corrosion and the loss of steel in its northern support, according to past reporting.

City Hall update
A day before the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge ceremony, the city of Springfield hosted a June 17 groundbreaking for the ongoing rehabilitation of the 131-year-old Historic City Hall.

Officials are targeting an early 2026 completion date for the project, which has an estimated cost of $23.2 million, with funding from the city’s level property tax, American Rescue Plan Act and general fund carryover, according to a news release.

The rehabilitation work includes a new vertical core to house an internal fire stair, an elevator large enough to accommodate a gurney and restrooms on each floor. The project also brings the building up to code with modern mechanical and electrical systems, while creating updated office space for city departments. Additional improvements include upgrades to the City Council chambers and supporting areas, replacement of windows and the roof, and full accessibility throughout the building. A critical part of the rehabilitation is the abatement of hazardous materials, including lead and asbestos.

“One of the goals of this rehabilitation project is to create spaces for modern-day use while preserving the building’s historical elements,” said Collin Quigley, interim city manager, in the release. “This project is the result of years of planning, collaboration and investment. Today, we recognize those who made this possible and celebrate the beginning of a project that will ensure that Historic City Hall is here to serve our citizens for the next century and beyond.”