Bid deadline extended for Jefferson Avenue Footbridge

The city of Springfield has pushed back the bid deadline for the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge rehabilitation project.

Bids now may be submitted through 10:30 a.m. on April 23, according to a news release. The previous deadline was 10:30 a.m. yesterday, as announced last month.

"So far in the solicitation, we have received a lot of interest from contractors and a lot of really good questions,” said Nicholas Edelman, city project manager, in the release. “For a project this complex and unique, we thought it important to provide more information and time to help ensure we receive as many qualified bids as possible."

City spokesperson Kristen Milam said around eight contractors attended a prebid meeting for the project.

The addendum to the bid process includes clarifications on the project, as well as answers to common bidder questions. Information about the bid process is available on the city's website.

The north-side Jefferson Avenue Footbridge has been closed for eight years due to safety concerns. Built in 1902, the 562-foot bridge allows pedestrians to cross 13 tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail yard between Commercial and Chase streets. It was closed in 2016 after Public Works discovered corrosion and steel loss during a routine inspection.

In June 2023, $8 million from the state’s fiscal 2024 budget was appropriated for the footbridge repair work. Springfield City Council approved the funds in November. An additional $300,000 in the estimated repair cost will be paid by the city’s quarter-cent capital improvement and eighth-cent transportation sales taxes, and funds have already been budgeted, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.