Design for Nebraska St. BikePed Bridge & Airport Wash Greenway

The City of Tucson is seeking professional design, engineering, and public engagement services for a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Interstate 19 (I-19), connecting the planned Nebraska Street Bicycle Boulevard to the Spectrum Mall and to the Chuck Huckelberry Loop shared-use path system along the Santa Cruz River via an extension to the future Airport Wash Greenway. The consultant team will develop a design concept, prepare preliminary and final design plans, assist with public engagement, prepare relevant environmental clearance documents in accordance with ADOT/FHWA requirements and identify utility and agency coordination tasks.

The design process will determine project elements including: bridge alignment, type and materials, expansion of existing path network, including new paved paths, fully accessible sidewalks and enhanced bicycle lanes, and native landscaping and public art. Design funding for this project is through the USDOT Reconnecting Communities Pilot Planning Grant.

The City of Tucson wants to reconnect a community that has experienced historic disconnection from educational and medical opportunities, and the community’s network of non-motorized trails and greenways. This project aims to support pre-construction tasks for the Airport Wash Greenway, while the major scope of the project is to construct a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over I-19 from Nebraska Street. This new bike and pedestrian bridge will be a connector across I-19 to the Spectrum Mall and the Santa Cruz River alignment of the 137 miles worth of the Chuck Huckelberry Loop consisting of paved paths and bike lanes for non-motorized use. The new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over I-19 will be the second of its kind over an Interstate facility in the greater Tucson area after the Michigan St Pedestrian Bridge over I-19. This new bicycle and pedestrian bridge will also connect on the east side to the planned Nebraska St Bicycle Boulevard , a low-stress bicycle facility, funded through voter-approved Tucson Delivers: Strong Connections bond package connecting 4 parks and 3 schools.

Urban greenways, such as the Chuck Huckleberry Loop and future Airport Wash Greenway, are corridors of protected open space in the heart of the city that are managed to promote active transportation and recreation as well as preserving and enhancing natural resources. The Airport Wash Greenway will be a 5-mile active transportation, recreation, and open space corridor stretching from The Loop at the Santa Cruz River to Tucson International Airport near Tucson Blvd.

The design funding for this project was awarded in February 2023 via USDOT Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.