Bike lane, sidewalks part of Riverside bridge rehab

“The condition of the existing bridge there is pretty bad,” said County Engineer Paul Gruner. “It was up on our list to be replaced and so we put it in the program and proceeded with the engineering last year.”

The 30-foot bridge, just east of Woodman Drive, covers a stream and was built in 1933 with a major rehab in 1953. Local construction company LJB, Inc. was selected in December 2020 to do the construction for the project.

The addition of the bike lane could be beneficial for bikers and pedestrians traveling through the area said Laura Estandia, executive director of Bike Miami Valley.

“We’re excited for the project,” she said. “It’s really ideal for creating that kind of connectivity that we like to see and it encourages people who are on the trail, whether they’re local or visiting, to jump off and go patronize some of those businesses.”

In addition to giving cyclists the opportunity to support area businesses, the bike lane is a safer way for them to travel instead of using sidewalk where people may be walking.

“You really need some kind of infrastructure to be able to support biking and walking,” she said.

Construction of the project is expected to start March 2023 and will be finished some time in the fall.