Downtown construction on the 16 Tech Community Bridge has begun

Indianapolis, Indiana – Downtown Indianapolis is beginning to take shape as a cutting-edge bridge.

The project to build the bridge, which will cross Fall Creek near West 10th Street and Riley Hospital Drive, is being led by 16 Tech Community Corporation.

This week, the steel superstructure’s construction crews began. Construction officials stated that this work would continue until August of this year, after which the bridge would start to take shape.

“Some of what you’re seeing now, that was all fabricated in Venice, Italy, and shipped here and has been arriving on site and is being assembled on site,” said Eric Miller, the 16 Tech Community Corp. Director of Business Development/Real Estate. “It’s really going to take shape and really become obvious to everyone driving by seeing, ‘Hey this is what this go into really look like and a sense of the scale of it’.”

The massive pillars that were put up this week will transform during the following year into a one-of-a-kind communal bridge that has been imagined for years.

“It was really identified as a critical connector for the innovation district, for the, at that time, IUPUI campus, and the medical and research assets at the IU School of Medicine and Riley Hospital,” Miller said.

According to designers, the bridge’s cutting-edge design transforms the conventional suspension bridge into something altogether different. A fan-like configuration of smaller vertical masts is used in place of large ones, and flat steel plates are used in place of standard suspension cables.

“It’s the first of its kind in both designs,” Miller said. “But also, in Marion County, it’s the first bridge that dedicates more than 50% of the surface area to non-vehicular traffic.”

Separate areas on the bridge will be provided for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles.

“And there also will be a viewing area for people just to come and converge and sit and enjoy views of all Fall Creek,” Miller said.

Miller said there is still a ton of work to be done. The deck will start to be set after the superstructure is finished.

It’s anticipated that the bridge will be finished in late summer or early fall of 2024.