Here's why this popular Peoria pedestrian bridge over Knoxville Avenue has been closed

The Knoxville Avenue Rock Island Greenway bridge is expected to reopen next week after it underwent repairs to fix a structural issue.

An inspection of the bridge showed that some of the bridge's steel needed to be repaired after extreme cold and heat caused the metal to expand and contract, according to Emily Cahill, the executive director of the Peoria Park District.

Cahill said the structural issue never posed any kind of safety risk, but it was in the park district's best interest to temporarily close the bridge for repairs before it could grow into a larger problem. The bridge opened in 2014.

"It was certainly more cost effective to handle a smaller problem than wait for a bigger one," Cahill said. "That bridge is well used and another example of something our community uses a lot — not just for recreation, but some people use it to get to and from work on bicycles or otherwise."

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Repairs to the steel and a new paint job for the bridge cost the park district $121,274.

"It's one of those costs of doing business," Cahill said. "But we caught it soon enough, and we thank the folks who do our inspections that we caught it soon enough and it was never a risk to safety."

The bridge closed on July 31 for repairs. Cahill said it is expected to reopen next week given the repairs had a three-week timeline.

"People recognize that bridge. They see the vibrancy of our community when they see people bike and walk over Knoxville," Cahill said.

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Knoxville Avenue Rock Island Greenway bridge closed for repairs