Weave Bridge set for completion in Nov.

If everything goes according to plan, the University will erect the Weave Bridge this November - one in a series of projects underway as part of Penn's eastward expansion initiative.

The move comes as the city is scheduled to close the South Street Bridge for an expected 18-month reconstruction, at which time Penn's recreational fields and Hollenback Hall will be severed from the campus by Amtrak's rail line.

The Weave Bridge will then provide a permanent way for bike and pedestrian traffic to cross over the tracks and gain access to that part of campus.

The bridge is being built in western Pennsylvania and scheduled for shipment in three separate pieces toward the end of October, said Anne Papageorge, vice president for Facilities and Real Estate. The project will cost $6.8-million, including relocating expenses and the building of a new landscape center, she said.

The winding structure spans 190 feet and has crisscrossing beams of steel supporting the span, giving it a weaving design.

Papageorge has overseen the project since it was proposed in 2004. She said the project has developed from a proposal for a temporary fixture due the closing of the South Street Bridge into a state-of-the-art structure that will be a major asset for members of the Penn community.

"We eventually saw the opportunity to make a permanent connection between the future Penn Park and the facilities south of the South Street Bridge," she said.

Papageorge also said some components of the bridge were reconstructed for cost-cutting purposes, but that did not compromise the design.

"The project came in over budget, therefore we value-engineered it," Papageorge said. "Since then, we've redesigned it, re-bid it, fabricated it and, in November, we'll erect it," she added.

The original plan for the South Street Bridge closing involved a shuttle that would transport students to that area of campus via an indirect travel route along Walnut and Chestnut streets.

But when the University decided the money used for a shuttle would be better-spent building the Weave Bridge, the city had no objections and the University proceeded with the plan.

Principal Planner Mark Kocent said he thinks that erecting the bridge is an opportunity for the University to make a design statement.

"To me, it's a symbol of Penn's commitment to design quality," he said, adding, "I thinks it's a critical component to making the park accessible to bikers and pedestrians."

Kocent added that the original plan was for the bridge to be stainless steel, but the University is still undecided on the bridge's color.

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