LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — There's only been one way on and off Lake Havasu's island for decades, but city leaders are ready to change that.
The London Bridge was moved from England to Lake Havasu in the late 1960s after modern traffic outgrew the 19th-century crossing.
Fast forward to 2024 and once again, the London Bridge is feeling too congested.
Lake Havasu City leaders want to build a second bridge across the Bridgewater Channel, which will take people from the mainland to the island with ease.
“It’s been a priority of our citizens to be able to have a second accessway to get over to the island for emergency vehicles and for traffic flows for all of those components," Mayor Cal Sheehy said.
Lake Havasu's island is growing with new developments and bringing more and more traffic with it.
“If you’re getting stuck in weekender traffic and you live there, then I know that’s frustrating for some people. So, it might not be a terrible option," Meena Roberts, a Lake Havasu City resident, said.
It's an option that's been discussed for decades and the mayor told 12News it's finally time to put a plan into action.
“Hopefully, be able to wrap up the plan by mid-summer to start the process of going out to bid for a contractor to start to build the bridge with a timeline of three to five years," Sheehy said.
The city already knows where the base of the bridge will stand, but how it will cross the channel and what it will look like is still to be decided.
"Lake Havasu is growing very quickly. We are outgrowing our infrastructure and this includes transportation issues on and off the island," Council Woman Michele Lin told 12News in a statement. "This is the best time to take advantage of the opportunity to provide an additional means of mobility on and off the island."
Residents who spoke with 12News said they would be happy with a second bridge so long as it doesn't obstruct views and create headaches during construction.
The London Bridge will remain operational.
"The London Bridge is iconic and it’s what Lake Havasu City is known for," Sheehy said. "It’s a modern bridge in its infrastructure with a London Bridge façade on it and so that will stay in operation and will be a useful bridge for many, many decades to come into the future.”
Lake Havasu City hosted an open house to gain feedback on the project Monday night.
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