Widened and rebuilt, Coal Creek Bridge reopens to traffic in Cedar City

CEDAR CITY — After being closed for nearly eight months, the Coal Creek Bridge in Cedar City is once again open to traffic.

The newly reconstructed Coal Creek Bridge’s reopening is marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Following a brief ceremony at the newly reconstructed bridge Tuesday morning, Cedar City Mayor Garth Green, accompanied by other officials and representatives of the companies that worked on the project, snipped the ceremonial ribbon as orange barrels and “Road Closed” signs were removed from the roadway.

“We’ve been looking forward to this for seven or eight months,” Green said during his brief remarks. “I can’t believe how many times I’ve driven down Coal Creek Road thinking I’m going to go across this bridge, and there was a major gap.”

“I’m just excited for this new, wide bridge and the safety features,” Green added. “Drivers and pedestrians can now feel safer with these much-needed improvements.”

In addition to having wider traffic lanes, the completely rebuilt bridge features a pedestrian sidewalk on its north side, in addition to chain-link safety fences on both sides of the bridge along the portions overlooking Interstate 15.

Cedar City Mayor Garth Green (holding scissors) prepares to cut ribbon signaling opening of the newly completed Coal Creek Bridge, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“The only thing it lacks is a foot of snow,” Green joked as he envisioned snowplows making their way across the bridge.

Almost as if on cue, a few snowflakes began to fall and swirl around amid a blustering breeze as Green finished talking.

Following the mayor’s remarks, Utah Department of Transportation Region Four Director Rick Torgerson also spoke, saying the project fulfills UDOT’s mission statement, which is “enhance quality of life through transportation.”

“It really helps enhance quality of life,” he said. “Not just for commerce and cars going over it, but it really connects the east side and west side of Cedar City through active transportation – a pathway across the bridge, which the existing bridge did not have. So that adds a lot of value.”

Torgerson also praised the “great collaborative effort” by Cedar City and UDOT officials who worked together to make the project happen. 

Torgerson also joined Green in commending the construction crews for their work.

“Our contractor, Wadsworth Brothers, did an amazing job,” Torgerson said as he also thanked the various engineers, planners and consultants who had a hand in the project.

The newly completed Coal Creek Bridge, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

As previously reported in Cedar City News, construction on the $8.65 million project started in late June of 2021, after being in the planning and development stages for several years. Originally, a roundabout was planned for the roads that meet on the west side of the bridge, but that plan was switched to a T-intersection where Kitty Hawk Drive meets Bulldog Road after safety and logistical concerns were raised by residents and business owners.

One of the first vehicles to drive across the newly reopened bridge was a pickup truck driven by Cedar City Council member Scott Phillips, with former Cedar City Mayor Maile Wilson-Edwards in the passenger seat. Both were cited as being instrumental in helping bring the project to fruition, as were City Manager Paul Bittmenn and Utah Transportation Commissioner Donna Law, a Cedar City resident who teaches at Southern Utah University.

Although the bridge is now structurally complete, officials say a few finishing touches remain, including resurfacing the roadway and painting lines on it. That work is scheduled to be done later in the spring, along with adding trees and other landscaping to adjacent areas.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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