Don Russell crosses the newly opened UVU pedestrian bridge. (Photo credit: Don Russell)
SALT LAKE CITY — A pedestrian bridge at Utah Valley University (UVU) is ready for use. The bridge was completed in early February 2021. It spans almost 1,000 feet and is suspended above the busy, multi-lane I-15 freeway in Utah County. It was built to safely accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, and scooter traffic between the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) Frontrunner Orem station and the UVU campus.
This massive pedestrian bridge is partially enclosed, and equipped with elevators and a heated bridge deck that’s also covered. It is 15 feet in width and cost $30.7-million.
The curiosity was too much for Don Russell, retired public relations manager, who wanted to see it and try it for himself.
“Very impressive. It’s a solid two blocks-long spanning all freeway lanes and the railroad tracks,” Russell said.
It really is an architectural and engineering marvel. Also, I wanted to see how well it meshed with the UTA Frontrunner train and access to UVU and it meshed very well.”
And what was it like walking high above all lanes of I-15? “It was fun. I enjoyed it & look forward to doing it again. I hope UVU students and locals will use it plenty,” Russell said.
Despite the length of the pedestrian bridge, Russell said it only took about five minutes to cross including the time it took to use the access steps and elevator.
