Politics & Government

City OKs $2-Million Pedestrian Bridge

Dubbed "the bridge to nowhere" by critics, it will link two portions of the planned Civic Center and Park Project.

Newport Beach will spend $2 million to build a pedestrian bridge over San Miguel Drive to connect its Civic Center with a park.

The City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to add the bridge to Newport's $130-million Civic Center and Park Project. Steve Badum, the city's public works director, said the bridge would be paid for with contingency funds.

"If we were going to add it, this would be the time,” Badum said.

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Opponents have described the project as "a bridge to nowhere." Councilman Steve Rosansky—who voted against the bridge along with Councilwoman Leslie Daigle and Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Gardner—called it "a waste of money."

"I don't want to fritter the money away on something that is not necessary and I don't believe is going to be used," Rosansky said.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Councilman Ed Selich endorsed the bridge, saying it would be a critical element of the project.

"The $2-million cost might seem a lot now, but it's only 2 percent of the project budget," Selich said. "We're in a favorable construction environment; we will never be able to get this bridge constructed for the price we can get it constructed now. If we don't build it now, it will probably never be built."

Councilman Keith Curry added his support, saying he hoped the bridge would improve pedestrian flow at the intersection of San Miguel Drive and Avocado Avenue—which he referred to as one of the most impacted sections of the city.


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