Commission backs E.K. Gaylord pedestrian bridge, asks for one street tree

The Downtown Design Commission voted to approve an elevated pedestrian bridge across E.K. Gaylord Boulevard connecting the Santa Fe parking garage to Bridal Town, with the condition that the project add a medium-sized street tree on the south side of the bridge.

City project manager Jim Sajak said the design separates the circulation tower from the bridge so the bridge can be lighter and more glazed; the bridge clearance under the structure is 16 feet, two feet above ODOT’s 14-foot minimum. Sajak said the raised plaza and retaining walls are intended to protect both the pedestrian portals and people crossing the street, and to reduce risky mid-block crossings.

Several commissioners said the project addresses a longstanding pedestrian challenge on the corridor but questioned whether a simpler lane closure and added street trees might have been an alternative; one commissioner called the bridge “a lot of money to cross a road” and suggested terminating the east-most lane and adding canopy trees instead. The project team said traffic decisions and right-of-way constraints limit some alternatives, and the design retains a critical lane to match existing circulation patterns.

The commission approved the application with the condition to add a medium-sized street tree on the south side of the bridge; staff and the applicant agreed to work on the exact species and placement to avoid interference with chevrons and lane-control signage.

Next steps: the city public-works team will proceed with final design and coordinate with traffic engineers on lane configuration and signage; the commission’s recommendation moves forward as part of the standard review for work in the right of way.