FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – On Wednesday, Mayor Sharon Tucker and the City of Fort Wayne Public Works Division announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the City a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant of $15,660,000 for the Ewing Street Bridge and Road Project. The grant is expected to cover 90% of the project’s total cost.
The Ewing Street Bridge, a 261.5-foot structure comprising two spans separated by a 1-inch gap, carries approximately 14,300 vehicles daily over the St. Marys River.
Without intervention, the bridge would likely require load restrictions or closure within the next decade. This timing coincides with growing private investment in the adjacent North River District, making the repairs particularly urgent.
The City released the following:
Engineering work will focus on rehabilitating the two existing structures — preserving what remains structurally sound while reinforcing what does not — extending the bridge’s service life by an estimated 50 years. The reconfigured bridge will also incorporate multi-use paths to better serve pedestrians and cyclists.
Two components along Ewing Street will be addressed:
The project will upgrade approximately four blocks of Ewing Street between Jefferson Boulevard and Main Street, which see between 4,200 and 5,500 vehicles daily, to match the engineering and aesthetic standards of surrounding downtown arterials. Improvements will benefit vehicles, transit users, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike.
The project will introduce in-pavement sensors on the bridge — providing valuable data during construction — and smart video detection at the Jefferson and Washington intersections, enhancing long-term safety monitoring along the corridor.
Together, these improvements will create a better-connected road network in the urban core, supporting downtown’s continued growth and development.
Design is slated to begin in 2027, with construction starting in 2030/31 and completion targeted for 2033/34.
The City extends its gratitude to Representative Marlin Stutzman, Senator Jim Banks, and Senator Todd Young for their assistance in securing this grant.
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