Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, also called Bob the Bridge, is a footbridge across the Missouri River between Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa. It opened in 2008, and is named after former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, who secured federal funding for the bridge.
Description
The bridge is a cable-stayed footbridge. The bridge is north of the Interstate 480 girder bridge and connects the Omaha RiverFront to Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park in the former Dodge Park Playland in Council Bluffs.The lights on the bridge were donated by [The The Gallup Organization|Gallup Organization|Gallup], which has their corporate headquarters and Gallup University located on the Missouri River adjacent the Omaha landing of the bridge. The bridge lights include programmable controls that can display multiple colors in the large lights at the top of the towers and alter brightness and timing of the lights that run the entire length of the bridge.
History
Planning and construction
Interest in a landmark bridge across the Missouri River arose after Omaha and Council Bluffs began replacing their older crossings with girder bridges which do not have towers. Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey secured $18 million of federal funding for the bridge in 2000.The bridge was redesigned in 2004 after the lowest bid for the project was $44 million. In May 2006, a final cable-stayed bridge design by Kansas City engineering and architectural firm HNTB was selected for the bridge. The $22 million bid included two towers and a clearance of above the river. Groundbreaking for construction of the bridge occurred on October 26, 2006.
Operation
The lights were officially unveiled in a ceremony on September 13, 2008. The bridge lights were turned on while the Phil Collins song "In The Air Tonight" was played over a PA system. The event was accompanied by fireworks.The bridge opened for use on September 28, 2008.
Due to safety concerns prompted by the 2011 Missouri River floods, the entrance on the Iowa side was closed on July 2 of that year. It reopened September 3, 2011.
In 2015, the bridge joined Twitter as @BobTBridge, an effort by the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau.