A long-awaited pedestrian bridge in Maricopa should start coming to life soon.

Construction on the bridge that will cross the Union Pacific Railroad tracks onto Maricopa Road is anticipated to begin later this year, according to public records obtained by InMaricopa.

“If we receive favorable bids and are able to move forward with the construction effort, I anticipate construction will start by the end of … 2024,” Maricopa Transportation Engineer Ross Renner wrote in an October email to a UPRR representative.

It’s a timeline the city says is still plausible.

“ADOT is set to bid the project out in the coming months, with construction likely to begin in fall 2024,” said city spokesperson Monica Williams. “This, of course, is subject to change due to a number of factors.”

What is the pedestrian bridge?

The bridge is planned as a part of the city’s Heritage District revitalization project to provide an additional route for pedestrians and bikers.

It’s an idea years in the making. Early designs date back to June 2017, when the city’s planning department presented three possible iterations of the bridge.

However, the current design looks much simpler than initial creative designs.

The 244-foot bridge, designed by Florida-based CONSOR Engineers, is composed of weathered, corrugated metal for a “historic feel,” according to City Manager Rick Horst. Pedestrians and bicyclists can access the bridge via spiral staircases or open-air elevators on each side.

Then-Interim Mayor Vincent Manfredi lauded the project in 2022.

“This is a good pickup for Maricopa, as giving our residents a safe way to cross the tracks and help with walking and biking availability in the area is important,” Manfredi said.

How much will it cost?

The project was estimated to cost around $3.5 million in 2021, but that cost has risen to $5.03 million, according to an agreement the city signed with ADOT in September.

This includes construction and project development costs but could change in the coming months.

“Construction costs will be updated based on the bids received,” Williams said.

Approximately $2.7 million of the project will be covered by a 2022 federal earmark requested by former U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran. The funding was among 13 requests for Arizona and was approved by the House Appropriations Committee in July 2022.

Vincent Manfredi is an owner of InMaricopa.