GARDEN CITY, Idaho — A proposed pedestrian bridge over the Boise River could soon give walkers and cyclists a new way to cross between the Riverside Hotel and Bernardine Quinn Riverside Park.
The Sandbar Bridge proposal is scheduled to go before the Boise Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 3, where commissioners will consider whether to approve the permits needed for the project.
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If approved, the 12-foot-wide bridge would connect the Riverside Hotel campus to Bernardine Quinn Riverside Park, creating a new crossing between the Main Street and Fairview Avenue bridges. Developers say the project would improve access for people walking and biking, while linking nearby restaurants, event venues, parks and the College of Western Idaho's new Boise campus in the West End.
Since the bridge would cross the Boise River and be constructed within the city's Boise River System Overlay, the project requires a River System Permit and a Floodplain Permit before construction can begin. The application states the bridge complies with city requirements and would not have a material impact on flood levels or river flow.
The proposal also addresses potential environmental impacts. According to the application, the bridge is designed to protect the Boise River's riparian corridor by using native landscaping, stabilizing riverbanks and directing people to a designated river crossing rather than informal access points. Developers say the project is intended to preserve wildlife habitat, including areas used by fish and beavers, while improving public access to the river.
The bridge would be privately funded by the developer and, once complete, donated to the City of Boise to become part of the public Greenbelt system.
Garden City Mayor Bill Jacobs said he believes the project could benefit businesses beyond Boise.
"To cross over into Garden City and visit our hotels and visit our breweries and wineries and restaurants. So I think it's going to be an economic engine," said Jacobs.
The bridge would connect two areas that are already heavily developed and linked by the Greenbelt, so city leaders have indicated the permitting process is expected to be relatively straightforward. However, Planning and Zoning commissioners will still review the project's environmental impacts, riverbank protections and compliance with Boise's river system regulations before making a decision.
If approved, the Sandbar Bridge would become a new public crossing across one of the busiest stretches of the Boise River Greenbelt.
