Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids J Robert Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 41°15′56″N 95°55′20″W / 41.265634°N 95.92231°W |
| Carries | Pedestrian and bicycle traffic |
| Crosses | Missouri River |
| Locale | Omaha, Nebraska Council Bluffs, Iowa |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed |
| Total length | 3,000 ft (910 m) |
| Longest span | 506 ft (154 m) |
| Clearance below | 52 ft (16 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | HNTB Ted Zoli III, Director of Longspan Structures |
| Construction begin | October 26, 2006 |
| Opened | September 28, 2008 |
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a really cool bridge. It lets people walk and bike across the Missouri River. This bridge connects two cities: Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska. It opened on September 28, 2008. The bridge is about 3,000 feet (914 meters) long. That's almost a kilometer!
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Discover the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
People in Omaha and Council Bluffs wanted a special bridge. They were replacing older bridges with simpler designs. They wanted a new bridge that would stand out.
How the Bridge Got Its Name
The bridge is named after Bob Kerrey. He was a Senator from Nebraska. In 2000, he helped get $18 million in federal money for the bridge. This funding made the project possible.
Building the Bridge
The bridge's design changed in 2004. The first bids to build it were too expensive. In May 2006, a new design was chosen. It was created by a company called HNTB.
This new design was for a cable-stayed bridge. This means it has tall towers and strong cables. These cables hold up the bridge deck. The new plan cost $22 million. It included two towers, each about 200 feet (61 meters) tall. The bridge also needed to be 52 feet (16 meters) above the river. This allows boats to pass underneath safely. Construction started on October 26, 2006.
Where the Bridge Connects
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is located north of the Interstate 480 bridge. On the Omaha side, it connects to Miller Landing. On the Council Bluffs side, it connects to One Renaissance Center. This area used to be a fun park called Dodge Park Playland.
Cool Features of the Bridge
The bridge has amazing lights! A company called Gallup donated them. Gallup's main office is right next to the bridge in Omaha.
The lights can do many cool things. The big lights at the top of the towers can change colors. The lights along the bridge can change brightness and timing. The lights were first turned on during a special event. This happened on September 13, 2008. Fireworks also lit up the sky. The song "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins played during the event.
Bridge Closures and Social Media
In 2011, there were big floods on the Missouri River. Because of safety worries, the Iowa side of the bridge was closed. It closed on July 2, 2011. But don't worry, it reopened on September 3, 2011.
In 2015, the bridge even joined Twitter! It has its own account, @BobTBridge. This was a fun idea from the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Images for kids
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Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge at sunset
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Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in spring
