116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Project leaders break ground on ‘game changing’ Cedar Rapids pedestrian bridge
$14.9M Alliant Energy LightLine bridge will connect NewBo and Czech Village
Apr. 29, 2025 3:56 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — For those waiting with bated breath for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Cedar River, the groundbreaking ceremony held Tuesday was akin to the release of a long-held sigh.
Part of the larger ConnectCR initiative, the Alliant Energy LightLine bridge is more than a decade in the making. Nearly 100 people squeezed into Mount Trashmore’s 948 building Tuesday to celebrate its impending construction.
“Well team, we finally did it,” ConnectCR board President Mike McGrath told the crowd. “This won’t just be another bridge. It will be an iconic destination for our city — one that will attract walkers, bikers and tourists … and shine a light on our community.”
The LightLine project will connect the historic NewBo and Czech Village districts by replacing an old railroad bridge washed out by the 2008 flood. Spanning 18 feet wide, the bridge will be open to pedestrians and cyclists.
The project’s namesake feature comes in the form of a 165-foot, LED-lit tower equipped with internal and external lighting features. Once complete, the bridge will be part of Cedar Rapids’ segment of the American Discovery Trail and the Great American Rail-Trail.
While Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony largely was ceremonial, actual construction will begin soon on the roughly $14.9 million project in hopes of opening the bridge on early 2027. The City Council voted in December to award a bid for its construction. Once built, the bridge will be maintained by the city of Cedar Rapids.
The bridge will be funded through a mix of private donations, grant money and city-allocated funds. The city contributed about $5.9 million to the overall project. Alliant Energy contributed $1 million to ConnectCR, earning the company a shoutout in the bridge’s official title.
“The Alliant Energy LightLine bridge is a game changer for our city,” said City Manager Jeff Pomeranz. “It’s a strong example of the importance of public-private partnerships, and ConnectCR will be one of the largest (such partnerships) in city history.”
Bridge will be ‘symbol of connection, progress’
The broader ConnectCR project also will include enhancements to recreation around Cedar Lake just north of downtown, including a new trail on the east side of the lake, fishing piers, ADA-compliant kayak launch, playground, shelter and restrooms.
ConnectCR goes back to the 1970s, but board member Steve Sovern said the idea for the pedestrian bridge began in 2014 when the nonprofit was brainstorming ways to further enhance connectivity in Cedar Rapids.
The damaged remains of the old railroad bridge presented both a spark of creativity and a “sleeping giant of opportunity,” Sovern said, and the idea for a pedestrian-focused river crossing was officially born.
Sovern said the project is meant to honor the city’s past and present by connecting city residents and visitors for generations to come. The bridge will be bookended by parklike features on both sides that will have plaques outlining local history.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said she hopes those details and others included across the project’s unique features will help all area visitors and residents connect with the history and significance of the LightLine bridge.
“I’ve always believed that a bridge is never just a bridge,” O’Donnell said. “It is a symbol of connection, of movement and of progress that tells us even when there are things that divide us … we can always bring something that brings us back together.”
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