The effort to rehabilitate the historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge on Commercial Street is moving forward.
The State of Missouri announced in the summer that $8 million had been appropriated for the project. The City of Springfield says its Public Works Department has determined a plan with the Missouri Department of Transportation for the process to gain access to the funding. Public Works expects to bring the formal agreement to Springfield City Council this fall, according to a statement from the city.
If council gives its approval, Public Works expects to advertise the project for contractor bids this winter.
The money can only be used for the bridge itself and not the Footbridge Plaza space or other infrastructure. There is currently no funding for updates to the plaza, but project team members are working to identify potential funding sources, according to the city.
The Jefferson Avenue Footbridge was built in 1902 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The 562-foot-long steel bridge allowed pedestrians to cross 13 tracks of the BNSF rail yard between Chase and Commercial. It was closed in 2016 due to safety concerns.