Charlotte City Council approves contract for Rail Trail Bridge with opening date pushed
The Charlotte City Council unanimously approved on Monday a construction contract for the long-delayed Rail Trail Bridge across Interstate 277.
The council selected Blythe Construction, Inc., a Charlotte-based firm, for the project after no debate.
The 280-foot bridge will include a 16-foot-wide concrete path for bicycles and pedestrians. It will run from the Blue Line’s Brooklyn Village Station to under the East Morehead Street bridge north of Carson Street, connecting the 11-mile Rail Trail in uptown and South End.
City officials provided renderings, which show a white bridge with two sets of arches on either side.
The project is now estimated to cost about $16.3 million, according to Monday’s agenda. Funding will come from Charlotte, the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Mecklenburg County and private contributors.
The idea of a pedestrian bridge dates back to the original Blue Line plans, The Charlotte Observer reported previously, and the city initially began work on it in 2019. It was originally billed as an $11 million project expected to be completed in 2023.
That estimate was pushed back in 2021 to spring 2025 amid redesigns and rising costs.
According to Monday’s agenda, the city expects the project to be completed by mid-2028.
This story was originally published January 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM.
