Kentwood, Mich. is moving to close one of its most stubborn geographic wounds: a pedestrian and bike bridge over I-96, the east-west interstate that has split the Grand Rapids suburb in two since it was built in the mid-20th century.
The city has posted a request for design engineering services for the crossing, the first formal step toward construction of a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The project reflects decades of frustration in Kentwood, where the interstate has long cut residents off from employers, parks, the Woodland Mall commercial corridor, and Rapid bus transit routes. With roughly 55,000 residents and one of the most diverse populations in West Michigan, including significant Latino, Vietnamese, Bhutanese and African immigrant communities, the city has particular reason to invest in non-motorized access: car ownership rates vary sharply across its neighborhoods.
Kentwood has been expanding its trail network for years, guided by its Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, which identifies I-96 crossings as critical gaps in the system. A bridge over the interstate would be among the most ambitious pieces of that network, both in cost and symbolic weight.
Source: NationGraph.
The timing reflects a broader federal moment. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law opened up significant funding for exactly this kind of project through programs like the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, designed specifically to help cities repair the damage done by mid-century highway construction, and the Transportation Alternatives Program. No funding source or construction budget has been disclosed, and the design phase alone suggests that an actual bridge is likely still several years away.
The design engineering solicitation is listed on BidNet Direct. Once engineers are selected and design work is complete, the city will face the larger task of securing construction funding and navigating coordination with MDOT and federal highway authorities. How Kentwood funds and advances that next phase will determine whether this bridge becomes a reality or remains a planning ambition.
