Fort Wayne Gets $15.66 Million Grant for Ewing Street Bridge

Fort Wayne has received a $15.66 million federal grant for the Ewing Street Bridge and Road Project, providing major federal funding for a long-planned rehabilitation of one of downtown’s key St. Marys River crossings.

The U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant was announced by the city on July 8, 2026, and is expected to cover about 90% of the project’s estimated cost. Regional transportation records place the broader project estimate at approximately $19.7 million, so the federal award does not represent the entire project budget.

Why the bridge is being rehabilitated

The Ewing Street Bridge is 261.5 feet long and carries approximately 14,300 vehicles each day over the St. Marys River. The city says the bridge could require load restrictions or closure within the next decade without rehabilitation.

That is not an immediate closure warning. It is the city’s explanation for why the project is being planned now, before the bridge’s condition creates more serious limits for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists.

The project also covers about four blocks of Ewing Street between Jefferson Boulevard and Main Street, connecting the bridge with surrounding downtown streets and the North River District.

What the project is expected to include

Planned engineering work will reinforce the existing bridge structures while preserving components that remain structurally sound. The city estimates that the rehabilitation could extend the bridge’s service life by about 50 years.

The future corridor is also planned to include multi-use paths, improved sidewalks, and bicycle facilities. The regional transportation plan describes a proposed configuration with one bridge for vehicles and a separate bridge for pedestrians. That arrangement remains part of the planned design and implementation process, rather than a completed construction decision.

The project includes technology intended to help monitor the corridor. In-pavement sensors are planned for the bridge, while smart video detection is planned for the Jefferson and Washington intersections. According to 21Alive’s report, the video system is intended for traffic and safety monitoring and is not a Flock camera system.

Construction is not expected soon

Residents and commuters should not expect construction to begin in 2026. Design work is scheduled for 2027. Construction is expected in 2030 or 2031, with completion targeted for 2033 or 2034.

Those dates mean the immediate effect of the grant is major federal support and continued project development, not near-term lane closures or detours. Final engineering will determine how the bridge, roadway, pedestrian connections, bicycle facilities, and traffic technology are ultimately built.

For people who use Ewing Street, the project is aimed at preserving a heavily traveled downtown crossing while improving connections for people walking, biking, taking transit, or driving. Its relationship to the North River District also makes the corridor relevant to nearby residents, businesses, and future development, although the grant alone does not guarantee specific development outcomes.

Sources

• City of Fort Wayne grant announcement
• NIRCC transportation improvement program
• 21Alive report