CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – While amending the operating budget for fiscal year 2025, the City Council announced additional grant funding for the Red River Pedestrian Bridge capital project. The City of Clarksville will receive $710,000 in additional grant revenue from TDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

Originally, Clarksville received a $1.82 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation TAP to construct the Red River Pedestrian Bridge, according to previous reports. The report also said the City of Clarksville was responsible for about $676,000 of the total project, including a 20% match amount and all engineering, design and right-of-way costs.

A map of the Red River Trailhead of the Clarksville Greenway showing the planned pedestrian bridge. (Contributed)

“While TAP grants require a 20% match, we previously budgeted enough funds to provide the match, so no additional match is necessary,” said councilperson Stacey Streetman at the latest City Council meeting on Thursday, Aug. 1.

Streetman added that the total TAP funding has been estimated to be $4.1 million for the project.

Red River Trail East Phase 2

The development of the pedestrian bridge is part of the Red River Trail East Phase 2, which is set to provide the final connecting link between the Clarksville Riverwalk and the Clarksville Greenway. The construction of the project will include a 290-foot long, 10-foot-wide bridge that will cross the Red River at the site of a former railroad bridge, according to previous reports.

The northern end of the Red River trail, where the path will eventually continue to the pedestrian bridge. shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
The view looking north where the pedestrian bridge will be built across the Red River, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
An underpass on the Red River trail, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
The Red River trail, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)

Construction of the bridge will include a 500-foot ADA-compliant overhead boardwalk that connects the bridge to the surface level on the north bank of the river. Mayor Joe Pitts previously said the City of Clarksville had been working for more than two decades to complete the system of trails, and now the last link had been secured.

With the bridge connecting to the north bank of the river, walkers, runners and cyclists can travel from the Clarksville Greenway to the north to the Clarksville Riverwalk to the south. This creates an uninterrupted route from North Clarksville at Tiny Town Road to downtown at Riverside Drive and College Street. The Red River Trail also connects to the Austin Peay State University campus from the Kraft Street area.

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