Parks & Recreation: 311 or 509.755.2489
Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 12:02 p.m.
SPOKANE – Monday night, the Spokane City Council allocated $1,450,000 of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds towards repair of the Don Kardong Bridge, completing the funding package needed for repair.
The Kardong Bridge is part of the Centennial Trail near Gonzaga University, connecting the University District and surrounding area with downtown. The overall management of the 39-mile Centennial Trial is under Washington State Parks, but City of Spokane Parks and Recreation is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the trail within the City of Spokane. The bridge is in critical need of repair, or risks closure. It sees approximately 160,000 pedestrians a year.
The total estimated repair cost for the bridge is $2,300,000. Parks & Recreation previously secured a $726,000 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, and $145,000 from the Friends of Centennial Trial and University District Public Development Authority, but the project has to be completed by spring 2023 to maintain grant eligibility. The remaining $1,450,000 of APR funds ensures the project is fully funded and can go out for construction bidding.
Preliminary work is already completed, including stakeholder outreach, design, draft bid documents, permitting, and securing significant grants.
“The missing piece was additional funding, and bridges are expensive to repair. When we have to allocate a large amount of our Parks & Recreation budget to bridges, our neighborhood parks don’t get the resources they need and deserve,” said Garrett Jones, director of City of Spokane Parks & Recreation. “We are grateful to the City Council for allocating these funds toward necessary repairs on this important pedestrian connector in District 1.”
The bridge renovation includes deck replacement from wood to concrete, some concrete pier repair, replacement of the bridge overlooks and guardrails, installation of a new lighting system, and bollards at each end of the bridge.
The project is anticipated to open for bidding in early spring, and will be completed by spring 2023.
Earlier this month, Spokane Parks & Recreation also received $1.1 million in ARP funding allocations from the City Council to go towards upgrades to restrooms and playgrounds. The division will return to City Council and the Administration with a spending plan allocating resources to specific parks and projects next month.
Update from April 2022: On April 25, the City Council allocated an additional $750,000 to the Kardong Bridge project, when it came in over estimate due to rising material costs. On April 28, 2022, the Park Board approved a construction contract for $3.1M.
Update from June 6, 2022: The City Council allocated an additional $750,000 of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to the Don Kardong Bridge, bringing the total ARP funds for this project to $2,950,000. This frees up $750,000 from the Parks Capital budget that would have been used to front the RCO grant, to instead complete neighborhood park improvement projects in 2022. They are: Wildhorse (playground and pathways), Liberty (playground, restroom, and sport court), Corbin (sport courts), Franklin (pathways, safe routes), and Coeur d’Alene (phase I irrigation upgrades).
About City of Spokane Parks & Recreation
City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, natural lands, aquatic centers, golf courses, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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The City of Choice
509.625.6200
parks@spokanecity.org
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
