Work begins on Maitland’s towering pedestrian bridge
MAITLAND — Work is underway on a 625-foot metal pedestrian bridge that will tower over Interstate 4 just south of the Maitland Boulevard interchange.
The bridge, spanning 10 lanes of traffic and connecting sidewalks at Lake Destiny and Wymore roads, is expected to be open to pedestrians and cyclists in 2019, officials said.
The elaborate bridge, which features an arch soaring overhead, is part of the state’s $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate project.
It’s welcome news to Maitland real estate agent David Earle, who rides his bike on suburban streets in the city a few times per week. When the bridge is complete, he says his cycling routes could expand to the west side of town.
“There’s really no safe way for pedestrians to get from the side of Maitland I live on to the other side of Maitland without going on some heavily trafficked roads,” said Earle, who lives on Lake Sybelia. “I see it as a benefit.”
Changes in traffic flow created a potentially treacherous environ-
ment for bicyclists and pedestrians hoping to travel west of I-4 on Maitland Boulevard. The state opted for a pedestrian bridge just west of the interchange to allow a safe crossing point.
Renderings show a curved bridge suspended high above the highway by an arch that soars to 125 feet. The fenced-in walkway is 12 feet wide.
“We’re not just building a better interstate that provides more capacity, it’s also going to look nice when you drive through it,” project manager Loreen Bobo said. “You have to go worldwide to start comparing it to other structures.”
Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jessica Ottaviano said the bridge also could help SunRail commuters complete their treks to work. Maitland’s train stop is about three miles east of the bridge.
Steve Herman, a psychologist who lives nearby, said he’s hoping to use the bridge to begin cycling around the city. He moved from Indiana with his family last year, where he routinely pedaled on trails and paths that he considered safe.
“There don’t seem to be many accessible paths down here,” said Herman, adding that the trails that are nearby are hard to get to from his home.
Officials couldn’t say how much the bridge will cost, as the project was part of a single bid to do the entire I-4 makeover.
Cycling advocate Amanda Day said she’s heard from people who are concerned about getting to and from the bridge using Wymore Road, which snakes parallel to I-4 from Winter Park north to Maitland.
Maitland is working on making a path to connect the bridge to the proposed Sandspur Trail, said Shauna Moulton, the city’s communications coordinator.
Day and other cycling advocates are happy to see major projects that include perks and safety features for people besides vehicles.
“It’s an incredible bridge and much needed,” said Day, who works with Bike/Walk Central Florida. “It has so much potential for greater connectivity.”
As construction picks up, officials said it may lead to overnight lane closures. Currently, workers have begun work on the foundation.
While the bridge in Maitland is the only one in the project that will go over I-4, there will also be a tunnel connecting Wymore Road and Douglas Avenue west of the State Road 436 overpass in Altamonte Springs.
Ottaviano also said a pedestrian bridge will be built over Kirkman Road on the north side of the intersection at Major Boulevard.
The bridge in Maitland could help with heavy traffic on a stretch of Maitland Boulevard that sees about 75,000 vehicles per day, DOT records show.
Many Maitland neighborhoods and residential areas are east of the interstate, while numerous major employers, including Electronic Arts and Charles Schwab, are in a business park just west of it.
Earle said he’ll continue to ride his hybrid bicycle on neighborhood streets until the bridge is constructed. But then, maybe he’d even consider riding to his office west of I-4.
“I think it’s an advantage and will bring each side of Maitland together… I could ride my bike to my office,” Earle said. “I see it as a very identifying feature that would help Maitland become a little more noticeable.”