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TriMet and the Portland Bureau of Transportation expect to break ground in Southeast Portland this spring on a new bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Stacy and Witbeck will serve as general contractor for the Gideon overcrossing, which is designed to span both Union Pacific Railroad tracks and MAX light-rail tracks from Southeast 14th Avenue south to the intersection of Southeast 13th Place and Gideon Street. The bridge will replace an old, non-ADA-compliant crossing near Southeast 16th Avenue and Gideon Street that was removed in 2013 as part of MAX Orange Line construction.

Delays in federal funding led to a change in original plans to build the overpass as part of the Orange Line project. But when the latter was completed under budget, TriMet gained approval to use the savings to construct the overpass.

The structure will be built entirely in existing public right-of-way, about 300 feet east of the Clinton Street MAX station.

Construction will take about a year, according to TriMet, and cost approximately $15 million. When completed, the bridge will be owned, operated and maintained by the city of Portland.