AURORA | After years of promises, plans and urban renewal efforts near the intersection of Parker Road and Interstate 225, city officials, transportation representatives and developers celebrated the groundbreaking for the Nine Mile pedestrian bridge.

The $9.3 million bridge is an important and eagerly-awaited piece of transit infrastructure that will connect housing and retail on one side of Parker Road with the RTD Nine Mile transit station on the other.

Mayor Mike Coffman called the groundbreaking an “extraordinary day for Aurora.”

“This is a project that is long overdue,” Coffman said. “This is a really incredible example of transit-oriented development to connect our high density multifamily housing with our mass transit.”

The bridge will help improve safety for traffic and pedestrians by providing a safe crossing path. Council member Stephanie Hancock said she is excited for the project to be underway.

“I’m so glad that people will not be playing chicken going across the street,” Hancock said. “I imagine it will be wonderful once it’s done – we won’t have to cross a busy highway and we’ll have a beautiful place to walk.”

The bridge will feature art from Vicki Scuri, who said she used colored and laser-cut panels to create motion and designs with shadow and light.

“The colors are all derived from the prairie and the movement is derived from the movement of prairie grass and the water at Cherry Creek State Park,” Scuri said. “When you walk across, there’ll be a shadow garden that’s created.”

The bridge is being fabricated off-site in Loveland and is scheduled to be installed in summer 2027. The entire project is expected to be complete in fall 2027.

Initial construction will focus on site work, erosion control and preparation of utilities prior to above-ground construction and then there will be minimal on-site construction until spring 2027 when work begins on the foundation and pedestrian ramps that will lead to the bridge structure.

Drivers should expect intermittent single-lane closures on Parker Road between South Peoria Street and I-225. Northbound lane closures will take place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and southbound closures will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All lanes will be open during peak travel times for the initial site work.

The project is a collaboration between the city, the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority, the Colorado Department of Transportation, RTD and developers Mile High Development and Koelbel and Co. The contractor for the project is JHL Constructors.

George Thorn, president of Mile High Development, said when the company was originally selected as master developer for the site on Parker Road and South Quari Street in 2015, the site needed significant remediation. Now, it features a retail shopping center with a King Soopers and multifamily housing.

“This is a big day for us,” Thorn said. “We’ve invested $100 million out here in the 10 years since we’ve been selected and we’re going to invest an equal amount going forward … we look forward to finishing this project and having a bridge to celebrate.”

For real-time updates on lane closures and road conditions related to the project, go to CoTrip.org.

Read more Aurora police human trafficking unit marks first year with 28 arrests, recovering 29 survivors

Read more Unidentified girl injured by ‘grazing’ gunshot wound Tuesday in Aurora apartment parking lot

Read more Phil Weiser sues feds to stop them from opening new ICE detention center in Hudson