In the grassroots planning stages since the early 1970s, construction of the two-phased ConnectCR project is finally expected to begin in 2025, project leaders told the Cedar Rapids City Council Oct. 8.
The $20 million project includes two major components – an extensive enhancement of Cedar Lake on the periphery of the city’s downtown area, and the Alliant Energy LightLine, a soaring recreational bridge connecting the Czech Village and New Bohemia areas.
“I always like to remind everyone (this is) the largest public-private partnership project we’ve ever done,” community development director Jennifer Pratt told the council.
Tom Peffer, vice president of the ConnectCR governing board of directors, outlined significant recent developments in the project’s planning, including fundraising efforts.
“It’s time consuming,” Mr. Peffer said. “It’s complicated, but when we get a restored Cedar Lake with all the amenities, when we get the Alliant LightLine bridge constructed, we’re all going to be really proud of what we did together.”
The enhancement plan for the city-owned Cedar Lake includes a number of features – trail improvements, fishing piers, a jetty, an ADA-accessible kayak launch, a challenge course and playground, a bird viewing platform, a shelter, and public restrooms – all designed to increase public access and usage for a water body long utilized by local industries.
Permits for a trail along the east side of the lake were recently approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, “so that (work) will be starting any day now,” Ms. Pratt said.
The design of the Alliant Energy LightLine bridge is nearly complete, Mr. Peffer said. The bridge, with an 18-foot-wide deck, will accommodate both pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It also features an LED-lighted tower and suspension cables, with both internal and external lighting features.
Ms. Pratt displayed some new renderings of the bridge, including both daytime and nighttime views, stressing that the bridge’s design will create a “light line” across the Cedar River.
The lighting will also be color-changing, Ms. Pratt said, “so we will be able to highlight certain months and certain events and make it more of an experience when people go by.”
“Each of these projects is iconic and amazing in their own right,” Ms. Pratt said. “But I also wanted to point out how impactful it is, when we consider that these two projects are so in alignment and intertwined with other community initiatives that we have underway,” including the LightLine Loop, a separate project including a new Roundhouse and a festival street, set to begin construction soon in the Czech Village neighborhood.
Most of the fundraising for the project was completed within 18 months, Mr. Peffer said. A private capital campaign generated $8.3 million from 300 donors, in amounts ranging from $1 to $1 million, mostly during a campaign period from April 2019 to August 2020. The Hall-Perrine Foundation has contributed $5 million to the project, the Iowa Economic Development Authority has added $800,000, and the city is contributing $5.9 million.
City council member Dale Todd, who has championed the Cedar Lake enhancement project for many years, noted that ConnectCR has involved a number of “moving pieces” that have delayed its implementation.
“When this thing is said and done, it’s going to change the face of Cedar Rapids in a way that I don’t think a lot of us realize at this point,” Mr. Todd said.
City council member Ashley Vanorny said that “none of this” happens without the ongoing implementation of the city’s flood control system.
“We’ve asked for so much forgiveness and patience as we work on the foundational things that allow us to get to this point,” Ms. Vanorny said. “But it’s so cool that it’s just a summer away.”
Work on the ConnectCR trail enhancements at Cedar Lake is expected to begin in the summer of 2025, with other lake enhancements completed by fall. And bids for the Alliant LightLine bridge may be issued as soon as this fall, with substantial bridge completion by the fall of 2025.
