A proposed bridge spanning Lincoln Avenue in Lone Tree will be located west of the Charles Schwab campus and Heritage Hills Circle.  Designs will be presented to the public mid-year 2015.

By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of the City of Lone Tree

In December 2014, the Lone Tree City Council approved a contract with Fentress Architects to begin creating three design concepts for a pedestrian bridge that would cross over Lincoln Avenue.  The proposed bridge would unite the areas on the north side of Lincoln with the southern region.  It would also give access to the popular Willow Creek Trail and city open space.

The 170-foot bridge would be located west of the Heritage Hills Circle intersection and provide a safe walkway for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross over Lincoln.  City Manager Seth Hoffman noted that the bridge will more than likely be a covered structure to be used throughout the year.  

 “The City sees the bridge as a way of enhancing the cohesiveness of the community by providing better connectivity between amenities, residents and businesses on both sides of Lincoln,”stated John Cotton, Lone Tree’s public works director.  Cotton also noted that the city expects the structure’s design to be a symbol of Lone Tree.  

Lone Tree has been in a large growth boom the past few years, and traffic has increased.  Pedestrian safety is important and crossing Lincoln Avenue can be somewhat intimidating.   With the success of Lincoln Commons, the Lone Tree Arts Center and the new Charles Schwab campus, as well as plans for a new Douglas County Library on the south side of Lincoln, it makes sense to link both “sides” of the city.  Park Meadows Retail Resort, the movie theaters, and the RTD Light Rail station, along with restaurants and key businesses located north of Lincoln are a large draw to people in and around the Lone Tree area.  “Traffic signal timing won’t be disrupted by pedestrians in the crosswalk which, we anticipate, will improve the flow of cars traveling along Lincoln,” noted Cotton.

“A safe, convenient and attractive connection between popular destinations on both the north and south side of Lincoln is important to city leadership,” stated City of Lone Tree Mayor Gunning.  “As the city continues to grow, it is increasingly more important for us to provide an alternative transportation route for our pedestrians who may live or work on one side, but want to take advantage of amenities that require them to cross Lincoln.”  

“The Link shuttle has exceeded expectations with over 5,000 riders this past December,” added Kristen Knoll, the community outreach coordinator.  “In October and November 3,400 people rode the shuttle.  This is a huge indication of the need to safely move residents, employees, and visitors around the city.”     
 
Fentress Architects, designer of Denver International Airport, will present the bridge designs at public meetings in the spring of 2015 to get input on the proposed bridge plans.  Construction of the bridge is tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-2015 and be completed mid-to-late 2016.