Originally constructed in 1925, the Cascade Avenue Bridge over Cheyenne Creek in the Ivywild neighborhood has exceeded its design life and is functionally obsolete. Although not structurally deficient, the bridge does not functionally convey motorized or non-motorized traffic safely. The roadway and bridge are not wide enough to accommodate the types of vehicles and traffic it’s expected to carry with today’s criteria. The City of Colorado Springs is replacing the bridge with a similar structure (concrete arch) that will be wide enough to accommodate the current functional needs and provide a crossing of Cheyenne Creek for the next 100 years.
As part of the project, South Cascade Avenue will convert to one-way southbound. The one-way reconfiguration will be from Brookside Street to the Tejon Street Roundabout. During construction, we will accommodate northbound traffic on South Cascade between the roundabout and the bridge over Cheyenne Run. When the current bridge is demolished, access to the few properties in that area will only be from the south. At the completion of the project, Cascade Avenue will be one way southbound from Brookside Street to the roundabout.
Project Benefits
- Wider bridge to accommodate additional motorized and non-motorized traffic in the area
- Additional on street parking along South Cascade Avenue to help move parking out of the neighborhood residential streets
- Connected and continuous sidewalks for pedestrian safety
- Reduce maintenance costs
- Supports PlanCOS (City of Colorado Springs Comprehensive PlanA comprehensive plan is a guiding document that provides a framework for city policies and priorities regarding the physical development of the city. It is a long-range vision of what we want our city to become and is a tool for making decisions about how that vision should be achieved. It outlines strategic steps to make the vision a reality and provides targeted and strategic planning of the physical development of the city.)
- Stimulate economic vitality within nearby Urban Renewal Areas and Neighborhood Strategy Area
- Supports City Strategic Plan Goals: promoting job creation, investing in infrastructure, and building community & collaborative relationships
The project includes
- Demolish and remove the nearly 95-year-old functionally obsolete bridge structure
- Construct a new, wider bridge to accommodate vehicular traffic, on street parking and sidewalks
- Widening Cascade Avenue bridge approach
- Improved drainage
- Accommodations for pedestrians
- Additional diagonal parking along South Cascade Avenue
- During construction, the roundabout work will be phased to allow both northbound and southbound access to the properties on South Cascade Avenue between Cheyenne Boulevard and the bridge replacement project
