On Friday, March 22, at 11:30 a.m., the City of Roanoke will hold a ribbon-cutting/dedication ceremony for the opening of the new Franklin Road Bridge. The event will take place at the southern end of the bridge.
Public art will also be part of the new bridge, with works created by artist Tucker Mara displayed on the columns of the bridge to communicate the rich history of the Old Southwest neighborhood. Old Southwest Inc. received a neighborhood grant and participated in selecting the artist for this work. Each panel focuses on a specific architectural design element and tells a story.
The bridge will now open to serve the 9,600 motorists, along with many pedestrians and cyclists, who used alternative routes since its closure in January of 2017. The project costs totaled $14.5 million. Allegheny Construction was the contractor and AECOM was the engineering firm on the job.