The Jefferson City Council approved a construction contract Monday for the Bicentennial Bridge to Adrian's Island.
The 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.
Mayor Carrie Tergin said she was excited to see the project move forward.
"That idea and dream of getting to our riverfront has been a long time coming - more than 30 years in the making," Tergin said.
Adrian's Island - 30 acres of forest and wetlands that lie between the Missouri River and Union Pacific Railroad tracks that stretch about 1 mile from the state Capitol to the former Missouri State Penitentiary - is currently hard to access because of the railroad tracks.
In order to create easier access to the property, the city and Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce proposed an 826-foot bridge leading down to a riverfront park on Adrian's Island. The bridge will begin between the Senate garage and Veterans Memorial.
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. The bridge is meant for pedestrians and bikes, although it will be able to support emergency vehicles.
In approving the contract, 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.
Tergin said they are still working to fundraise for the project, with a goal of about $500,000 more. She also announced during the council meeting that they had recently received a commitment from an anonymous donor for an additional $185,000.
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.
Also on Monday, the council approved an amendment to the Master License and Cooperative Agreement with the parks foundation, the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission and Bicentennial Bridge LLC.
The agreement allows for completion of the project as a city-bid and managed public works project using the project fund held by the parks foundation.
The amendment allows the City Bridge Maintenance Sinking Fund and the Island Park Development Fund to be used to cover costs of the project if the Foundation Project Fund doesn't cover the full cost.
If those funds need to be used, future fundraising would be used to replenish them.
The Foundation Project Fund has raised approximately $4.1 million in private funds. The city-held Bridge Maintenance Sinking Fund contains $300,000 and the Island Park Development Fund contains $399,835.