The Riverview Bridge will soar over the Chicago River and connect Belmont to Montrose. (CDOT)
ROSCOE VILLAGE — The long-gestating Addison Underbridge Connector — a section of riverfront bike path that will connect Belmont on the south to Montrose on the north — finally has a tentative start date and a far less awkward name.
The Chicago Department of Transportation is now also calling the connector the Riverview Bridge, which references not only the portion of the path that will soar above the Chicago River, but also the defunct Riverview Amusement Park, once located at the path's starting point in Clark Park.
For what it's worth, RiverView finished third in a DNAinfo Chicago readers poll of potential names: well behind the heavy favorite C2C (Clark to California park) but just a single vote shy of the second-place choice, The Hot Doug.
The project is set to go out to bid in late summer, according to an update provided by CDOT at a recent meeting of the Horner Park Advisory Council.
Construction could begin on the two-mile path by the end of the year and wrap up in late 2017.
The trail will run from the east side of the river in Clark Park to the west side of the river in California Park, looming 16 feet above the water as it crosses from one bank to the other.
Additionally, the trail would take advantage of a separate project to reconstruct the Irving Park Road bridge, effectively extending the path north to Montrose Avenue via Horner Park.
"Our goal is to make the riverfront trail seamless when at all possible," said Bob Foster, senior project manager with the Chicago Park District.
Though CDOT declined to assign a cost to the Riverview Bridge, so as not to influence contractor bids, a 2012 presentation pegged the estimated price tag at $9.5 million.
The project is being funded with federal dollars.
Addison Underbridge Connector Presentation
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