The Bicentennial Bridge project recently received a donation of $25,000 from Rural Missouri Incorporated, adding to a collection of funds for the $4.8 million project.
RMI is a business finance organization based in Jefferson City that serves Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas, and a few counties in western Illinois. The group provides loans and other financial resources to small and growing businesses.
"We are thrilled to be able to make this contribution to this wonderful project," said Zola Finch, executive director of RMI, in a news release. "This is aligned with the mission of RMI and to be able to be a part of this project in the community in which we are located makes it that much more meaningful."
Mayor Carrie Tergin, who has been a big supporter of the project, said the city appreciates RMI's support.
"Thanks to their generosity and the generosity of many others, the vision of the Bicentennial Bridge is becoming a reality," Tergin said in a news release. "The bridge will certainly connect thousands of visitors with our rich history and majestic river heritage and will transform the landscape in developing a safe and appealing access from the City of Jefferson to the Missouri River."
The Bicentennial Bridge has been in the making for a long time but has made significant headway recently.
In June, the Jefferson City Council approved a contract in the amount of $3,752,768 with Phillips Hardy Inc. out of Columbia for the construction of the bridge, which city officials hope to see completed by the state's bicentennial in 2021.
The bridge will span the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to an area known as Adrian's Island - 30 acres of forest and wetlands that lies between the Missouri River and the tracks that stretches about 1 mile from the state Capitol to the former Missouri State Penitentiary.
The 12-foot wide bridge will be accessible for pedestrians and bicycles, but it is designed to be wide enough for emergency vehicles to reach the island if needed. It will span from the Missouri Capitol Complex to the island, which will be developed into an outdoor recreation area with walking trails.
Originally, the bridge was going to have a rail car design to tie it into the railroad it will span, but the expense of the design caused planners to reconsider. The bridge will now have a more simple, open design to give views of the Capitol and Missouri River.
Construction of the bridge is set to begin in late summer or fall of 2020 and will be completed by August 2021, in time for the state bicentennial. Tergin said the city is working on setting an official date for the project's groundbreaking.
The total project, including the construction contract as well as design and other costs, totals about $4.8 million.
In approving the contract in June, the council also approved the relocation of $3.11 million from the Parks and Recreation Foundation fund to be used for the project. The funding has been raised from private donors, including resident B.J. DeLong, and kept by the foundation until needed.
Tergin said the project needs to raise an additional $500,000 to reach the total goal.
Any additional funding needed for the project on top of the $3.11 million will come from Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department funds that have been allocated for the development of the riverfront.