Building Bridges

Building Bridges

The University of Toledo hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening of a new pedestrian bridge over Douglas Road that will improve campus safety and connectivity.

The $3.4 million project - which got underway in July 2024 - links Centennial Mall, Savage Arena and the Glass Bowl to UToledo's engineering complex and the adjacent neighborhood that many students call home.

"As we've talked about over the last year or so, the vision for The University of Toledo is to create a destination for not only our students but our community," Interim President Matt Schroeder said. "What better way than to literally build a bridge connecting the west side of our campus over to the east side with the engineering campus and the Bancroft Hills neighborhood?"

Additional speakers at the ceremony included U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur and student body president Iryna Snahoshchenko.

The primary purpose of the 78-foot-long bridge is to provide a safer way for students, employees and campus visitors to cross Douglas Road. Thousands of vehicles travel that stretch of road daily and there previously was only one designated crossing between University Hills Boulevard and Dorr Street, leading many students to dart across the road.

In addition to improving pedestrian and motorist safety, the footbridge also helps to better link UToledo's campus to the surrounding community, tying in to both the Chessie Circle Trail and the University/Parks Trail.

The new crossing is located near Savage Arena on the western side of Douglas and the intersection of Marwood Avenue and North Westwood Avenue on the eastern side of the road.