University District Gateway Bridge receives state, national awards

The University District Gateway Bridge recently garnered state and national Project of the Year awards from the American Public Works Association.

At the APWA Washington chapter’s virtual awards ceremony last week, the city of Spokane’s University District Gateway Bridge received a state Project of the Year award in the Structures, $5 million to $25 million category.

The bridge earned a national Project of the Year award in the Transportation, $5 million to $25 million category.

Garco Construction Inc., of Spokane, was the general contractor on the University District Gateway Bridge, which is 120 feet tall and connects the University District to East Sprague Avenue in Spokane.

“We’re thrilled to learn that our University District gateway pedestrian and bicycle bridge has been named a Project of the Year by the Washington chapter of the American Public Works Association,” Marlene Feist, the city of Spokane’s public works director, said at the virtual awards ceremony. “This project took more than a decade to become a reality, and we have many folks to thank, starting with the city’s elected officials. Thanks also go to our federal delegation, along with the many state legislators who helped us gain funding.”

Despite challenges such as steel tariffs and construction over active BNSF Railway Corp. lines, the bridge was completed in 2019 under budget because of careful phasing, staging and innovative workflow solutions, the APWA said at the awards ceremony.

The APWA holds its Project of the Year awards annually to recognize notable public works projects. To be eligible for an award, a project must have been “substantially completed” within two years prior to nomination.