User:JKizzieHumanities/Providence Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge

The Providence Pedestrian and Bicylcle Bridge is a pedestrian bridge spanning the Providence River connecting the College Hill and Jewelry District neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island. It was designed by inForm Studio and BuroHappold Engineering. The bridge was built by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and ownership was transferred to the city for the price of one dollar.

The bridge was originally proposed in the 1990s by a RISD student as a way to utilize the granite piers from the relocated 195 highway. Planning for the bridge began in 2009, and the design of the bridge was selected in 2010. Construction of the bridge began in 2016 and was predicted to end in 2018; the bridge opened on August 9, 2019, with some areas remaining under construction. The original cost of the bridge was predicted at 2 million dollars; but following delays. the final cost of the bridge was 21.9 million. One concern that required changes to the design was the amount of the predicted rise in sea-level and its impact on the bridge ; another was the custom-steel structures and specialized labor required for the bridge design.

The bridge is considered an important step in uniting the east and west sides of Providence, and part of the redevelopment of 195 high way land following the relocation.

Design
The bridge is designed to look, in parts, like the hull of a ship. Other design elements include lighting both on and under the bridge, built-in benches, some with chess boards and others with lighting, and a terrace with native planting beds, stepped seating and a performance space. The bridge includes two small parks on each bank of the river.

The bridge is also intended for bicycle travel, and bike lanes have been added to nearby streets for this purpose. https://www.ecori.org/smart-growth/2014/9/30/citys-new-pedestrian-bridge-to-connect-east-to-west.html