Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey on Thursday announced he has chosen the proposal from HNTB Corp. of Kansas City, Mo, as the designer working with APAC-Kansas Inc. of Kansas City, Kan., as general contractor for the long-anticipated bridge.

“It has been a long journey with its share of advancements and setbacks to get to this point,” Fahey said. “We are now closer than ever to building what will be the centerpiece of our riverfront development and an awe-inspiring gateway to our two cities.”

The curved suspension bridge will feature two 200-foot spires and will connect the levee in the Playland Park area of Council Bluffs to a plaza north of the National Park building in Omaha. It is highlighted by a 506-foot main span and two 253-foot back spans.

The bridge will have a consistent, unobstructed width of 15 feet over its entire length, widening to 20 feet on the Omaha landing for cyclists and pedestrians. Bicyclists will have connections to 150 miles or trails on both sides of the Missouri River.

The concept dates to 1997 when the “Back to the River” project was announced. That involved then-Mayor Hal Daub and then-U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, who secured the $17 million in funding for the project. 

The project has been delayed several times as officials sought to overcome a funding shortfall that once threatened to derail the process after the first attempt to develop plans generated a low big of $44 million. The budget totals $22 million with fundraising efforts underway to make up the difference. Omaha and Council Bluffs have agreed to provide $100,000 per year to maintain the bridge.

Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan, Parks Director Ronald Hopp and Gayle Malmquist of the city’s Community Development Department also were involved from the start.

Hanafan said the bridge is expected to open in 2008. While the bridge will land in the floodway, he said he expects development to take place behind that.

“It really opens up some opportunities for us to get some things done,” he said.

In addition to Omaha and Council Bluffs, the Iowa Department of Transportation, The Nebraska Department of Roads and the Papio-Missouri Natural Resource District also are involved. Hopp has represented Council Bluffs in the planning process.

“I’m ecstatic,” he said. “It obviously bodes well for pedestrian cross-state connection to the trails.”

Hopp and Malmquist predicted the bridge would lead to increased city development on the dry side of the levee. 

“It’s a very exciting opportunity for our community to have an excellent icon as an entrance and a connection over the Missouri River,” she said. “The bike people are very excited about it.”

Federal agencies still must approve the selection process and the final contract will go to the Omaha City Council for its OK. That is expected to happen by the end of next month, according to Joe Gudenrath, a Fahey spokesman.

“I look forward to continue moving this project forward until Mayor Hanafan and I are able to meet in the middle of the bridge to cut the ribbon,” Fahey said.

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