Consultants recommend south‑side standalone bridge as best option for Rock River pedestrian crossing

MSA traffic and transportation engineering project manager Anne Folsom presented the Rock River Pedestrian Crossing feasibility study, which reviewed environmental constraints, agency coordination and three build alternatives for a trail crossing. She said the study began in fall 2024 and narrowed to three final alternatives after coordination with the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation and the railroad.

Folsom said the three finalists were: two north‑side trail options (one standalone bridge, one trail on the dam) and a south‑side standalone bridge. She described engineering constraints — including a 175‑foot example span for one option, retaining‑wall heights nearing 28 feet on the north side, and high‑voltage utility poles near the corridor — that pushed the team to prefer the south alternative. "Our recommendation would be alternative 3," Folsom told the council, citing lower construction complexity, fewer retaining walls and no need to coordinate with the DNR dam construction.

The study identified funding avenues and estimated costs. Folsom said the project is a strong candidate for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants and stewardship funds for land acquisition; she cited recent TAP awards in the range of "about $5–6 million" on comparable bridge projects as evidence that external funding is available. The recommended path she outlined depends on a local project champion, early outreach to private property owners on the south side, and securing written commitments to make a grant application viable.

Council members acknowledged the recommendation but flagged property acquisition as the primary obstacle. One member said the east‑side parcel (identified in the meeting as Culligan) is likely the hardest to secure and urged staff to begin outreach to property owners. The presentation concluded with the next steps: identify a project champion in early 2026, pursue stewardship funds in spring, and prepare a TAP application in fall 2027 if property agreements and local match can be secured.

The presentation and discussion leave the city with an engineering plan and preferred alternative, but substantial real‑estate and funding work remains before design or construction could begin.