City receives $1.3 million grant for Iron Bridge Road upgrades
A project nearly 12 years in the making is finally getting the funding it needs to make one of Columbia's notoriously hazardous bridges safer for motorists and pedestrians.
The city announced Friday its receival of a new $1.3 million grant from the Greater Nashville Regional Council. The origins of this project date back to 2010.
The project is particularly significant to Vice Mayor Christa Martin, who along with former Mayor Dean Dickey, has been vocal for many years regarding its need. The road currently experiences approximately 1,700 drivers daily.
"Here we are 12 years later ... and we're finally going to actually fix the bridge," Martin said. "I'm just so glad to have helped assist in getting this one-lane bridge into a project where we're going to have something new and fantastic in the third ward in the city of Columbia."
The project will consist of expanding the aged one-lane bridge into two lanes, with a large shoulder on the south side, as well as a multi-purpose path creating a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment. Construction is expected to last approximately one year, with a start date yet to be announced. Engineering for the project is currently being overseen by Barge Design.
"I know this route very well, and rode on it as a young child through Columbia every Sunday, and so I know how important it is to the city, and more so how important it is to the neighborhood," GNRC Executive Director Michael Skipper said. "We truly are honored to be here."
During a presentation at Fairview Park on Friday, Martin said the project couldn't come to fruition without a dedicated persistence by city staff. It is also one of the top projects Martin wished to see get underway before leaving office next year after serving the city 20 years on Columbia City Council and later as vice mayor, among other boards and committees.
"We look forward to this," Martin said. "Thank you so much to our city council and our city staff."
Mayor Chaz Molder said this is a "special day for Columbia," both by securing funding for a years-in-the-making project, but also its continued relationship with the state when it comes to addressing infrastructure needs in the face of immense growth.
"A bridge really has a lot of symbolism to it, and that's what I love about where we are with Ward 3. We've said it plenty of times that Columbia is thriving, and we know that, know that there is a lot of good happening, but that can't be the case unless all of Columbia is thriving and their needs and wants are being tended to," Molder said. "Without the leadership and the persistence of those who have advocated this for so many years, we wouldn't be here."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia receives $1.3 million grant for Iron Bridge Road upgrades
