16 Tech Bridge

The 16 Tech Bridge is a suspension bridge over Fall Creek, connecting West 10th Street and Riley Hospital Drive with the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In December 2021, the 16 Tech Community Corporation unveiled the bridge’s design, developed by a team led by schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). ^[1] The multidisciplinary team also included Moniteurs Communication Design, Martha Schwartz Partners (MSP), Shrewsberry & Associates, CTL Engineering, Circle Design Group, and People for Urban Progress (PUP).

Community engagement played a crucial role in shaping the design. The team conducted outreach through mailers, online surveys, virtual meetings, hotlines, site walks, neighborhood canvassing, and a partnership with a local STEM-based school. ^[1][5] An advisory committee of residents and civic leaders guided this process. In response, the design prioritized pedestrians and cyclists by creating accessible public spaces and separating them from vehicular traffic.

The bridge features a distinctive suspension design with a fan-like arrangement of smaller masts rather than a single vertical mast. ^[1][5] Flat steel plates serve as the main supports, replacing traditional suspension cables while accommodating the unique mast configuration. ^[1] This innovative approach makes the bridge the first of its kind in the U.S.

Construction began on March 28, 2023, with completion initially expected by summer 2024. ^[2][4] The primary steel structure was fabricated and prefabricated at Cimolai’s workshop in northern Italy before being shipped to Indianapolis. ^[3] It opened to traffic on April 30, 2025. ⁶

The project is supported by funding from the City of Indianapolis and a $38 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., announced in March 2018, which helped launch the 16 Tech Innovation District. ^[1][4][5] Indiana University also donated land essential to the bridge’s development. ^[1]