News Track: Feedback on Iowa City’s Burlington Street Bridge identifies ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ in preparation for replacement

Background

Iowa City’s Burlington Street Bridge, a key piece of infrastructure that connects the west side of the city to downtown and the University of Iowa — is crossed by nearly 19,000 vehicles each day.

But the bridges — there are two, one traveling east and the other west — are deteriorating. They were identified in a 2021 report as being in “poor” condition and “structurally deficient.” An inspection revealed concrete cracks and spalling, and exposed steel reinforcement.

Last fall, Iowa City hired a consultant, Cedar Rapids-based HDR, for $1.18 million to begin the process to replace the Burlington Street Bridge. The project is estimated to cost $30 million and construction could begin in 2028 or 2029.

The firm will study the bridges and offer a preliminary design for their replacement. A preferred design is expected to be finalized sometime this year.

Part of HDR’s and its subcontractors’ work has already been underway. Divers from Bio Survey group, a biological consulting firm, spent several days in October 2024 diving under the dam beneath the bridges to identify any endangered species. They also conducted surveys of the area near the dam.

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The existing Burlington Street Bridge structure, which includes the two bridges and a dam below, is owned by three different public entities.

The dam, which was built in 1906, is owned by the University of Iowa. The eastbound bridge, built in 1915 and restored in 1986, is owned by the City of Iowa City, while the westbound bridge, which was build in 1969, is owned by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Iowa City has said it plans to work with the university and the DOT on the project. All three entities were represented on a committee that reviewed consultants’ proposals and identified HDR as the company of choice.

Funding sources for the $30 million project have yet to be identified, though city officials have said it likely will be a mix of local, state and federal funds.

Part of the project will include a traffic analysis to determine how many travel lanes the bridge should have. Bike lanes and pedestrian access also will be evaluated as part of the traffic analysis.

The spiral pedestrian ramp and overpass at Riverside Drive and Highway 6 also will be examined through the study. The current ramp is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Burlington Street Bridge replacement project

Construction on the Burlington Street Bridge replacement project is expected to begin in 2028 or 2029

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Source: City of Iowa City

What’s happened since

Michael Kurek from HDR, the engineering firm, said it has begun stakeholder engagement meetings with the city, University of Iowa, Iowa DOT, Municipal Planning Organization of Johnson County, EMS, area transit agencies, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and biking groups in the area.

The consulting firm also had a public meeting, with around 30 attendees, and a general public survey that received 282 responses.

“All of that public involvement basically gathered, collected, and our data analysts, along with my direct team, went through all of that information, found common issues, outliers, constraints, things we weren't thinking about, and basically compiled all of that into about 35 key items, and we presented those items to our Technical Advisory Committee and had them rank that as a project need or a want or a constraint,” Kurek said at a recent city council work session.

Kurek gave an example of a need that was widely supported: a dedicated space for bicyclists and pedestrians that also is ADA compliant.

Some of the project “wants,” or secondary considerations, include removal of the Burlington Street dam to offer more recreation opportunities.

“Lots of options still on the table, since it's really at the beginning stages here, but our Burlington Street dam alternatives range all the way from no modifications with some minor safety improvements that don't physically impact the dam itself, all the way to full removal,” Kurek told the Iowa City Council.

Ultimately, Kurek said future design options and decisions will be made with four key elements in mind: the future of the dam; what type of bridge should be built; bike and pedestrian crossings; and the potential realignment of Grand Avenue from the intersection of Melrose/South Grand Avenue to Highway 1/Highway 6.

Next Steps

The technical advisory committee will meet again to narrow down a preferred design to move forward with the process.

At the same time, another public meeting and electronic survey will be introduced around August. The consulting firm plans to revisit with the city council sometime later this summer.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com

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