Aurora looking to redesign aging Peoria Street Bridge, asking for community feedback

The City of Aurora is hoping to replace the aging Peoria Street Bridge over Sand Creek to improve traffic flow and address safety concerns, but some residents are concerned about the project's impact on the surrounding area.

Kristen Evans loves to bring her dogs to northwest Aurora's Sand Creek open space for a walk.

"This is so beautiful. It's nearby, and it gives everyone in the area access to wildlife," said Evans. "Sometimes there's even deer here."

She lives in the neighborhood and is familiar with the whole area. Even the Peoria Street Bridge that serves as the northwestern border for the park. She says it's her least favorite part.

"It is really busy," said Evans. "I rode my bike on it once. It was a little scary. It's kind of wobbly and [there's] not much sidewalk. And, yeah, a lot of traffic."

Carlie Campuzano, the Deputy Director of Public Works, says that's exactly why the city is looking to bring the bridge down and redesign the area.

"It gets very crowded. I drove through it yesterday during rush hour," said Campuzano. "It serves a lot of vehicle traffic. It serves an important bus line and transit. And then there's a lot of people walking and biking as well. It is a pretty big pinch point for the overall area. And Peoria is just a pretty critical north-south connection all through the city."

Right now, the city is in the design phase of the project, and construction likely won't start for a year or more.

"We have not identified construction funding yet, but this is a very important, critical project for our transportation network," said Campuzano.

But she says the city wants to hear from residents so they can build something the community will appreciate and enjoy.

Kristen might be a hard sell.

"I mean, I don't know if I like it. Like more traffic? I don't think the wildlife would like that a lot. More noise pollution? Yeah. I mean, I'm not so sure I like it," said Evans.

The 60-year-old Peoria Street Bridge takes six lanes down to four, creating a bottleneck. The city says the existing sidewalks are also substandard. The bridge replacement would give them the opportunity to add lanes, sidewalks, and a shared-use path.

Residents are encouraged to review the proposed design and submit feedback by May 11. More information about the project and ongoing updates can be found online. The final design is expected to be completed this fall.