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Commission discusses canal crossings; members cite multi‑million-dollar cost and approval hurdles
Summary
Commissioners and staff discussed long-standing connectivity needs across the city canal, noting large capital costs, federal/state approvals and right-of-way constraints that complicate potential pedestrian or vehicular bridges.
Far West City commissioners spent time discussing mobility across the regional irrigation canal after staff and members highlighted several locations where new crossings could reduce travel distances and future traffic bottlenecks.
Commissioners said multiple east–west connections are currently stubbed on one side of the canal and that linking both sides would improve circulation in growing parts of the city. They also noted the process and cost for building bridges over the irrigation canal can be substantial: participants in the discussion referenced multi‑million dollar planning, engineering and approval costs and said projects can take years to permit and build.
Meeting participants described a range of potential crossings — from pedestrian bridges to full vehicular bridges — and agreed the city would need both a compelling justification for a crossing and significant funding before pursuing construction. They discussed constraints such as required federal or regional approvals, minimum spacing from existing structures, and the need for both property dedication and developer participation to make a project feasible. One commissioner observed that preliminary engineering and permitting alone could run into the millions and that a pedestrian structure had been estimated at tens of millions in earlier conversations; staff cautioned these were meeting remarks and that formal cost estimates would require engineering studies.
No formal motion was taken. Commissioners asked staff to track potential connectivity projects and funding opportunities and to include bridge possibilities in broader transportation planning work so the city can prioritize feasible crossings.
