Tara bridge hot topic

East County residents in Tara and surrounding neighborhoods are resurrecting talks of the Tara Bridge.

More than 100 East County residents attended the May 24 commission meeting, speaking during public comment either in favor or against the bridge, which would provide an alternative north-south connector for the county and has been in the comprehensive plan since 1989.

The item had been on the agenda, but was taken off by County Administrator Ed Huzeker. Commissioners expect to tackle the issue of the Tara Bridge during their June 16 Capital Improvement Plan workshop, but they told attendees that their focus is putting dollars toward the construction of 44th Avenue East extension in the next five years.

Wearing red T-shirts, residents of Tara, University Park and other neighboring communities said the bridge is out of place, would hurt property values and would compound traffic congestion issues near The Mall at University Town Center, among other concerns.

“Tara Boulevard is not the right street for this project,” Tara resident Sandy Gilbert said.

Proponents of the bridge, wearing hunter green shirts with white lettering “Build the Tara Bridge Now,” said the bridge would provide a safer driving alternative to Interstate 75 and would improve emergency response times.

“I believe having a bridge and having the accessibility to the firehouse and the ambulance services on the other side would be a benefit,” River Place resident Kent Haas said.