Final Design is currently ongoing for a modified version of the preferred alternative from the Study Report prepared for the project. The project will involve the replacement of the Rio Grande Bridges with a 13-span, steel girder bridge with 60” simple-span steel plate girders. The Atrisco Riverside Drain culvert will be left in place and extended to the north. The concrete box culvert adjacent to the Atrisco Drain, which carries an access road, will be removed for the final configuration of the project. A 2-span, pre-stressed concrete slab girder bridge will replace the bridges over the Albuquerque Riverside Drain. The open portion of the drain will be maintained and repaired or replaced, a culvert pipe will cross under a relocated Poco Loco Drive, and the existing culvert pipe under Dean Road will be maintained. In addition to this, retaining walls and pedestrian access elements are under development.

Number and Continuity of Bridges
One bridge crossing the Rio Grande and one bridge crossing the Albuquerque Drain is the recommended alternative, instead of building one continuous bridge, or separating directions of traffic on parallel bridges.

Albuquerque Riverside Drain and Bridges
Replacing the bridges with a two-span, prestressed concrete slab girder bridge and replacing the open portion of the drain with a continuous culvert pipe that crosses under Poco Loco Drive, the Rio Bravo Bridge, and Dean Road, is the recommended alternative.

Rio Grande Bridge Replacement
A 14-span bridge with 60” simple-span steel plate girders was chosen as the recommended alternative.

Atrisco Riverside Drain and West Abutment Location
The recommended alternative includes locating the west abutment behind the west levee, placing the first pier in line with the levee, leaving the Atrisco Riverside Drain culvert in place and extending it to the north, demolishing the existing CBC, and aligning the access road under the first bridge span.

Below are 3-dimensional (3D) photo simulations prepared to illustrate how the proposed bridge improvements would fit within the Rio Bravo Boulevard corridor.  These simulations highlight the preferred design alternative (Alternative 6), which is a straight partially offset alignment to the north of the existing alignment.  This alternative has an increased profile and longer bridge spans.  This preferred design alternative would include pedestrian safety improvements, address key deficiencies to the existing bridge structures, and would be designed with the capacity to add an additional lane of traffic in each direction at an undetermined date in the future.