With that in mind, Haws recently talked with Connect-Bridgeport regarding the pedestrian bridge and related work taking place beside the existing bridge on Virginia Avenue. Although Haws said complaints have been minimal, there have been concerns about the need for the bridge voiced to city officials, at Council meetings and on social media sites.

 

“It’s really not been too bad as far as people being concerned, but we do want our residents to know that this pedestrian bridge wasn’t just done by chance,” Haws said. “It’s part of the master plan the city has been utilizing for development of our trail system and it’s also a major safety issue for residents.”

 

One thing most won’t disagree with is that the city trail system is highly utilized not only by Bridgeport residents, but by those living outside the city as well. The trail that goes from Virginia Avenue to the City Park and looping back to Virginia Avenue is one of the busiest, Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman said.

 

The heavily used trail has a major safety concern. The trail begins at the storage units behind the Main Street Station, just off of Virginia Avenue. Many users of this trail, he said, enter the trail system at this point and walk the wooded portion of the Trail to Bridgeport City Park. Once at the park, walkers or runners usually complete a loop around City Park, exit between the schools up to Johnson Avenue. The route then takes those individuals up Johnson Avenue where it turns into Philadelphia Avenue and intersects with Virginia.

 

“At this point, you turn here and head down the hill back to the Main Street Station (and Water Street),” said Spellman. “In the past, when the user got to Water Street, there were no sidewalks on the Hot Rod Shop side of them to continue back to their point of origin.”

 

Users of the system would have to cross Virginia Avenue, usually at the point where the bridge began. Considering the amount of traffic, the number of trail users and the fact many using the trail were parents with children, some pushing strollers, and what Spellman called an “active elder generation,” there was a concern someone eventually would be hurt.

 

“(Trail users)would have to cross the busy Virginia Avenue to get to the sidewalk on the other side and walk approximately one hundred yards until they would reach the entrance to the swimming pool parking lot,” Spellman said. “Then, they would have to cross again to get back to their vehicle that was usually parked behind Main Street Station.”

 

City officials believe the addition of the new pedestrian bridge will eliminate the obstacle. This section of the trail system can be utilized, once the pedestrian bridge is complete, without having to cross any city streets. Another thing it eliminates is those using the existing sidewalk on the tennis court side of the Virginia Avenue Bridge won’t have to walk the narrow sidewalk where traffic is often right next to the pedestrian.

 

The new bridge is being worked on primarily in house. City workers have been working on the foundation for the structure during recent cold weather months. Additional parts of the project, including fixing guardrail around the Virginia Avenue Bridge, repairing concrete on the existing bridge sidewalk, as well as installing new steps from Virginia Avenue to the tennis court/swimming pool parking lot is also under way.

 

“This will be a nice addition to our trail system when it’s finished,” Haws said. “It will enhance recreational opportunities and provide safety. People with strollers, or bicycles or just walking will have a much safer environment on the new pedestrian bridge."

 

Click HERE for the initial story that includes cost projections for the six-figure-plus outlay and other details for the work.

 

Editor's Note: City workers continue work during cold weather of the pedestrian bridge that will go beside the existing Virginia Avenue Bridge.