A $3.4 million project to more directly connect Main Campus to The University of Toledo’s engineering complex and improve campus safety took a major step forward Thursday with the installation of the footbridge span over Douglas Road.
Pat Blevins, left, manager of structural maintenance for Main Campus, and Jason Toth, senior associate vice president for administration, watch as a crane prepares to set the pedestrian bridge span into place. Contractors broke ground on the project in July and have been working since to build the bridge towers, ramps and stairs.
Contractors work to ease the 78-foot-long bridge span into place. Construction will continue at the site over the next few weeks, including pouring the concrete bridge decking. That work, which is currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, will require another closure of Douglas Road from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The bridge span was prefabricated in two sections off-site. UToledo took delivery of the two pieces — which together weigh 40,485 pounds — last month. Contractors maneuvered them into place and bolted them together Thursday before lifting the assembled bridge atop its anchors.
A pedestrian crosses the closed section of Douglas Road after the bridge was securely anchored in place. Once finished, the bridge will provide faculty, staff, students and visitors a new way to get from the engineering complex to Savage Arena, the Glass Bowl and the heart of Main Campus. Currently the only designated crossing for Douglas Road between University Hills Boulevard and Dorr Street is the crosswalk at Oakwood Avenue and East Rocket Drive, about a quarter mile south of where the bridge is being installed.
Work is expected to be complete by the end of June.
