The Tulsa River Parks Authority approved an agreement today that would allow the City of Tulsa, River Parks and the Gathering Place to move forward in partnership with the construction of an iconic pedestrian bridge over the Arkansas River.
Beginning in March 2017, the City initiated a public process to collect conceptual bridge designs for a new Arkansas River Pedestrian Bridge as the original bridge could not be salvaged due to structural deficiencies. The City received 234 responses through the public process and The Gateway, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates emerged as the winner.
With an elegant and timeless design, The Gateway will serve as an iconic centerpiece along the Arkansas River and complement the neighboring Gathering Place. The arched bridge will be built with a steel plate fabrication system, which will make it the first bridge of its kind in the United States.
The agreement reached today ensures The Gateway will be constructed at a level that meets and exceeds the care and excellence that has been provided in the Gathering Place, while also providing clear mechanisms to fund additional amenities, including shade and seating, which Tulsans requested during the public feedback phase.
“The decision confirmed by the River Parks Authority today establishes the partnership that will build a world-class bridge spanning the Arkansas River to Tulsa’s very own riverfront park, the Gathering Place, for generations to come,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said.