Installing floodgates closes 16th Avenue bridge

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The 16th Avenue bridge, which connects NewBo and Czech Village, will be closed this week as floodgates are installed in Cedar Rapids.

Vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles will be unable to cross the bridge until next spring.

The city has made some preparations for the disruption. The 12th Avenue bridge has been redesigned from two lanes of traffic to one lane with a bike lane in either direction. It is expected that this would make it easier for individuals to detour along the Cedar River Trail during construction.

“Our hope is that if they are going to bike or drive they will just find another you know extra quarter of a mile or however long it is to go out and around,” said Amy Winker, owner of Red Frog in the Czech Village.

The bridge was supposed to close on Monday, but recent rains have helped to prepare bike trails for detours. As a result, crews are wrapping up their work today and tomorrow, and the bridge is expected to close on Tuesday.