Title
13th Street Overpass Bridge (B)
Explanation
The pedestrian bridge, situated at the junction of Highway 441 and SW Archer Road in Gainesville, has a unique role. It welcomes visitors to the City, particularly to the University of the Florida and Shands Hospital. The overpass is also the main connecting point between two sections of existing trail known as the Depot Ave Rail Trail. The overpass is an old railway bridge that was converted into a pedestrian walkway after the Cross Florida Railroad network disbanded through Gainesville.
Glatting Jackson, a landscape architect consulting firm from Orlando Florida, was hired to conduct a feasibility study for the Depot Park Rail Trail and to create concept drawings for the overpass, both of which were completed in April 2007.
CRA staff now wishes to seek a design for the enhancement of the 13th Street Overpass Bridge through a competitive process. This competition will explore exciting ways to improve the aesthetics of this existing linkage, and hopefully provide a vibrant point of entrance to the City of Gainesville, University of Florida, and Shands Hospital. The 13th Street Pedestrian Bridge Enhancement Competition will be open to engineers, architects, landscape architects, designers, planners, artists, industrial designers, and others to create visionary proposals for this important landmark. The character of the designs submitted from this competition is critically important
Staff aims to use a process similar to that used by the City of Pittsburgh in the design of the West End Pedestrian Bridge. The backup includes information on Pittsburgh's competition. To that end, CRA staff met with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) engineers at their district office in Lake City on July 18, 2007. Staff informed the FDOT that the CRA wishes to seek a design for the enhancement of the 13th Street Overpass through a competitive process. The FDOT engineers suggested that the CRA officially request, in writing, their intention and provide assurance that the intended enhancement will not interfere with the integrity of the bridge's structural elements. In addition, the College Park University Heights Advisory Board approved this concept on Wednesday, July 11, 2007.
Fiscal Note
The CRA has budgeted $165,000 in account 618-790-W7355520- Depot Rail Trail (Over pass Improvements) for FY2007 and $479,638 budgeted in the same account for FY2008.
Recommendation
Executive Director to the CRA: Authorize the CRA Executive Director or his designee to develop a scope of work and issue a Request for Qualification for this project pursuant to the CCNA process.