Project Information
The 3rd Street Bridge project was determined to be a high priority in the efforts to mitigate flooding when a recent study deemed it to be the 2nd most restrictive bridge in the 16 miles of the Deep River system. The study showed how improvements to the bridge could reduce flood waters by approximately 2 ft. under conditions similar to the flood in 2008 that washed out the 3rd Street Bridge approaches.
Recognizing the opportunity the City’s leadership and design team of Butler, Fairman, & Seufert, Inc. capitalized on the bridge replacement to include other adjacent improvements and an aesthetic paying tribute to the history of the City of Hobart and Indiana. All told the project will replace the existing structure with multiple precast concrete culverts that in total will nearly double the span of the bridge while increasing the clearance by nearly 5 feet, allowing boaters improved access to the lake. Also included in the project is an expansion to Lake Front Park and improvements to lighting and pedestrian safety. Overall the project will include several architectural elements such as brick facades with limestone accents and ornamental railing tying the new bridge in to the Streetscape Project currently underway. Overhead power lines will be removed from this segment of 3rd Street to further enhance the beauty of the City’s downtown.
The 3rd Street Bridge project completed the gap between the 3rd Street Streetscape and the Lake George Gateway soon to be located at the 3rd Street Parkway. Overall the project will include:
- Total Reconstruction of the 3rd Street Bridge
- Brick and Limeston Bridge façade with ornamental fencing
- Bridge accent lighting
- Ornamental street lighting
- Pavement Reconstruction
- Curb and Gutter
- Stormwater Improvemets
- Sidewalk replacements on both sides of 3rd Street
- Watermain Replacement
- Overhead utility line relocations
- Lakefront Park Extension
- Pedestrian walking trail and amenities
Project Team
Project Owner: City of Hobart
The City of Hobart is located in Lake County, Indiana, United States. With a population of 29,059 according the 2010 census the City’s has seen recent growth in commercial, business, medical, and light industrial uses.
The 3rd Street Streetscape Project was led by Mayor Brian K. Snedecor and the City’s Board of Public Works & Safety and the City of the Hobart Storm Water District in partnership with Lake County and the City’s Redevelopment Commission.
Project Designer: Butler, Fairman & Seufert, Inc.
Butler, Fairman & Seufert (BF&S), is a premier full-service civil engineering firm with approximately 150 employees including Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Landscape Architects, Architecture Historians and technical support staff. BF&S was founded in 1961 to provide civil engineering solutions for better communities. BF&S is well known for our depth of technical expertise and responsive service. Headquartered in Indianapolis with offices in Lafayette, Merrillville, Fort Wayne, Plainfield and Jeffersonville, BF&S provides communities across the state with high quality engineering for infrastructure solutions.
Project Designer: Ratio Architects
RATIO is an interdisciplinary design practice offering services in landscape architecture, architecture, preservation, urban design and planning and graphic design. After 30 years, RATIO has evolved to a firm of more than 90 design professionals that bring a diverse wealth of expertise from their experiences on a myriad of project types and sizes, at local, national and international levels. The firm’s four studio locations in Indianapolis, IN; Raleigh, NC; Champaign, IL; and Chicago, IL allow their team of designers to cross geographic boundaries and provide a high level of design excellence throughout the country.
Project Prime Contractor: ICC
ICC is a well-established and growing employee-owned general contractor that operates throughout the United States. We have a strong track record of performance in bridge and heavy highway construction with a portfolio of work that includes highly visible and complex projects for Class 1, 2, 3 and commuter rail owners, state and local government agencies, and the Army Corps of Engineers, among many others.
