Runners, cyclists, trail-lovers and all neighbors of Reading are being called into action this week to reimagine the Reading Gateway Bridge.
The public is invited to share their ideas, hopes, and visions for the bridge in an open forum held on Thursday, Jan. 29 from 5:30 to 6:30pm at the WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. 5th Street in Reading.
The roughly 400-foot pedestrian bridge that connects Riverfront Park to the western side of the city and West Reading Borough is used by tens of thousands of people every year and is a critical piece of the Schuylkill River Trail. Schuylkill River Greenways is the steward of the trail and is spearheading the project.
Elaine Schaefer, the executive director of SRG, said the initiative is unlike other infrastructure projects because it encourages the people to have a voice in its development.
“The transformation of the Reading Gateway Bridge is a truly unique project because it provides an opportunity to combine the utilitarian usefulness of a bike and pedestrian trail with the beauty and creativity of an extraordinary public art project,” Schaefer said. “It’s an opportunity for the community to envision the incorporation of large and impactful art into an important piece of transportation infrastructure, creating a destination site that elevates the gateway into the city.”
The trail is immensely popular with recreational users and commuting pedestrians from all over Schuylkill, Berks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. The Reading Gateway Bridge is currently characterized by large, rusting steel walls that block the view of the river and that speaks more to the utilitarian use of the bridge rather than a welcoming, human interface.
SRG is partnering with community transformation organization Barrio Alegría to draw ideas from the public for a new pedestrian bridge. Anthony Orozco, director of operations for Barrio, said the bridge is just the start.
“This redesign of the bridge is just a part of all the improvements that are coming to our riverfront and the trail,” Orozco said. “Our riverfront and Schuylkill River Trail have a natural appeal that draws droves of people without any promo or advertisements; the innate interest in this beautiful natural resource can no longer be ignored.”
The new designs for the bridge may include new lighting, murals from local artists, and structural changes that will change the feeling of the passageway – but all of that depends on input from local residents, Orozco said.
“This is not a top-down approach,” Orozco said. “This puts the people at the drafting desk, it puts the pen in their hands.”
The Schuylkill River Trail will also see upgrades through the portion that runs through Reading Area Community College and also a slated development of the trail along the northern riverside of Reading, according to Schaefer.
The public outreach effort by Schuylkill River Greenways and Barrio Alegría is just the first step in a possibly years-long process of making the bridge and trail reflect the wants, needs, and creativity of the people who use it.
“We want these assets to reflect the community and showcase its vibrancy and we want the neighbors to feel like this is “their section” of this amazing trail,” Schaefer said.
Barrio’s first meeting on Thursday will invite people to share their most general ideas about the bridge and learn more about the future trail projects.
