As work on the West Riverwalk extension continues to ramp up, city of Tampa officials are giving a closer look into the complex nature of the construction.
During a news conference taking place Tuesday, engineers discussed how crews are building the support structures for the project’s overwater sections.
According to city officials, new pedestrian bridges are a critical piece of creating what will be a continuous 12.2-mile pathway to connect the west side of the Hillsborough River directly to the city.
Construction started in May to install nearly 70 drilled shafts to support three overwater structures: the Platt Street Pedestrian Bridge, the Brorein Street Pedestrian Bridge, and the Tony Jannus Park Observation Overlook.
For maximum stability, specialized crews are drilling each support roughly 40 feet down into the riverbed, with some shafts reaching nearly 50 feet deep.
The nearly $60 million project is supported by a $24 million federal BUILD grant, along with an additional $10 million contribution from the West Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency.