New downtown bridge will be one of a kind

The design of a new downtown Indianapolis bridge has been unveiled.

The bridge will span Fall Creek at West 10th Street and Riley Hospital Drive to connect the 16 Tech Innovation District to Indianapolis’ research/medical corridor and downtown.

Emily Krueger, 16 Tech Community Corporation chief operating officer, said the design will be the first of its kind in the U.S.

“There’s actually over 500 bridges in Marion County and the 16 Tech Bridge that’s been intentionally designed in accommodating vehicular traffic also dedicates more than 50 percent of its surface to multi-modal users,” Krueger said.

The public can learn more about the bridge during a community meeting Friday.

“We’ll have our two lead designers in that meeting, so we’ll walk through and share more background on the engagement process, the design intention, but also from a structural perspective what makes the bridge unique,” Krueger said.

Design and construction of the 16 Tech bridge are supported through funding from the city of Indianapolis and a $38 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that was announced in March 2018. Indiana University donated land that supports the project.

A local advisory committee of residents and civic leaders helped shape the community engagement process, which informed the bridge design. In response to community feedback, the design team created a bridge with accessible public space, including dedicated space for bikes, pedestrians and respite, as well as a design that encourages connection to Fall Creek.

The bridge is targeted for completion by the end of 2023.