Commercial Street 150 Years of History

Commercial Street 150 Years of History. . The Jefferson Avenue Footbridge , Built in 1902 by the American Bridge Company of Patterson, PA for $8,200, the cantilevered Warren through truss design spans 12 working railway lines. Local engineer J.W. Hoover was in charge of the construction. Mrs. Allie Moore was the first person to cross the new bridge on August 29, 1902. The 562-foot structure is one of the oldest and lonest footbridges in the United States still in use serving railway facilities. , The footbridge was placed on Springfield's Local Historic Register on December 10, 1973 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 2, 2003. In the 1990s it was sold by BNSF railways to the City of Springfield for the amount of $1. , In 2001 rehabilitation began to preserve this historic landmark. Funding for the restoration was secured from the City of Springfield, the Missouri Department of Transportation, Community Development Block Grants, and memorial paver sales by the Commercial Club of Springfield. In addition to the footbridge restoration, a community plaza was created around the southern stairway at Jefferson Avenue. , The rehabilitation work cost just over $518,000, and was completed almost 100 years after the original footbridge was constructed. On April 17, 2002, during a centennial celebration, the footbridge was rededicated and once again opened to the public. , A View for Years to Come , On March 1, 2016 – due to decay found during a routine inspection, the footbridge was closed to the public once again. The city conducted a full evaluation and worked with the community to determine repair and renovation options. Federal and local funding in the form of Surface Transportation Block Grants, a twenty percent match from local sources, and funds raised by the Commercial Club of Springfield have been secured to pay for the expected $2.5 million dollar rehabilitation. , Upon reopening, the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge will be handicap accessible and its spectacular views will be truly available to all. Rehabilitation work is set to begin in 2020 during the 150th anniversary of the Commercial Street Historic District. The Springfield community looks forward to the day this magnificent historic structure will be open to the public once again and can be enjoyed by future generations.