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Iowa crew behind “ChiefsAholic” documentary releases true-crime look at Kansas City Chiefs superfan, string of bank robberies
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 0 Replies
It is, in some ways, a modern retelling of iconic scenes from the Wild West — a story that needs no sensationalizing.
Dressed head-to-toe in his gray wolf suit, Kansas City Chiefs superfan Xaviar Babudar was a staple at the team’s every game and adored online for years.
Then, the man known as the “ChiefsAholic” disappeared.
After a string of bank robberies across several states, including Iowa, police in Oklahoma caught him for one of the robberies. In September 2024, the 30-year-old was sentenced to 17.5 years after stealing more than $800,000 across seven states — Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Nebraska, Minnesota, Nevada and California — and laundering it through casinos.
Now, an Iowa documentary crew has released exclusive, firsthand accounts outlining Babudar’s homeless childhood, gambling addiction and rendezvous with fame that illuminates an entire subculture of fandom for one of the NFL’s most popular Midwestern teams.
Producer Kristian Day, a Cedar Rapids graduate, and director Dylan Sires, a Waterloo native, navigate interviews with Chiefs superfans through an unusual question: “Does America love a bank robber?”
“That’s a wild question, because you don’t think about bank robbers in 2024. There’s cameras everywhere. All your smart devices will tell the police where you were,” Sires told The Gazette. “Yet there’s a guy doing it, who to a degree was getting away with it. That, I think, it absolutely bonkers.”
“ChiefsAholic: A Wolf in Chiefs Clothing” was released on Dec. 24 and is available for streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Day and Sires had just finished wrapping up “Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth?” an HBO Max series about missing Waterloo cousins whose killer was never found, when they got the call.
Their pitch about the ChiefsAholic was approved for funding after Babudar went radio silent.
For years, his near-daily updates were watched by thousands of fans. Twitter followers did some sleuthing and discovered his December 2022 arrest for robbing a credit union in Bixby, Oklahoma.
After spending years in the dark world of kidnapping, pedophilia and drug abuse, Babudar’s case was a much-needed new direction for the documentary makers — a compelling mystery without murder.
“This was still a true crime story … but there wasn’t anything like that,” Day said. “There was almost this Looney Tunes character so obsessed with the Chiefs that he was robbing banks to go to Chiefs games.”
With a small crew, they beelined to Oklahoma and met Babudar in January 2023, just after he was released from jail on bond with an ankle monitor.
Even before Babudar was publicly connected to a string of robberies outside Oklahoma, Sires had a hunch that the ChiefsAholic was responsible for other similar bank robberies — including his first one in Clive, Iowa, in March 2022. For one, the robbers’ modus operandi was unique. He robbed each bank with a gun — an uncommon trait in modern robberies — and often jumped over the counter.
“I just didn’t believe him. Who does that in this day and age?” Day said. “(But) Dylan was right. Who is this guy who thinks he’s a cowboy, going from state to state to rob banks?”
Standing over 6 feet tall and about 250 pounds, their physical description of Babudar is an enigma of duality: imposing and muscular when he jumps for the Chiefs, but goofy and disarming with a high-pitched voice when he flashes a braces-clad smile outside of his wolf suit.
Through stakeouts and interviews with friends and family, they find frames of nuance in the story of a child who grew up living in a car with his mother and brother. All of them were part of another subculture that gets through life with multiple cars, but no jobs and no land.
“There’s this American outlaw aspect to them. They live on their own terms,” Day said. “They’ve figured out the system that works for them.”
Other Kansas City Chiefs superfans appear on camera, giving a glimpse into a culture that eats, sleeps and breathes this football team.
But Day, who isn’t a sports fan himself, says that appeal goes far beyond the football field sidelines.
“The things that excite me are subculture and counterculture,” he said. “The superfans are a subculture amongst themselves. There’s something very interesting about that.”
They caught up with the bank tellers who were pistol whipped, filmed reenactments of Babudar’s Oklahoma arrest with the arresting officers, and studied his stream of consciousness as he went to games and won six-figure bets.
But before they could wrap up production, the star of the documentary cut off his ankle monitor. Babudar lived on the run for four months during a nationwide manhunt led by a bail bondsman who had $80,000 of personal cash on the line.
In an uncommon feat for documentaries, viewers can watch the consequences of his actions in real time as producers chase an open-ended case — from jumping bail to a sentencing that came just under the film’s deadline.
“At some point, you have this guy who had no agency throughout most of his life. When he gets ahold of money, he starts to have agency,” Day said. “For someone living out of his car, what do you think happens?”
www.thegazette.com
Dressed head-to-toe in his gray wolf suit, Kansas City Chiefs superfan Xaviar Babudar was a staple at the team’s every game and adored online for years.
Then, the man known as the “ChiefsAholic” disappeared.
After a string of bank robberies across several states, including Iowa, police in Oklahoma caught him for one of the robberies. In September 2024, the 30-year-old was sentenced to 17.5 years after stealing more than $800,000 across seven states — Oklahoma, Iowa, Tennessee, Nebraska, Minnesota, Nevada and California — and laundering it through casinos.
Now, an Iowa documentary crew has released exclusive, firsthand accounts outlining Babudar’s homeless childhood, gambling addiction and rendezvous with fame that illuminates an entire subculture of fandom for one of the NFL’s most popular Midwestern teams.
Producer Kristian Day, a Cedar Rapids graduate, and director Dylan Sires, a Waterloo native, navigate interviews with Chiefs superfans through an unusual question: “Does America love a bank robber?”
“That’s a wild question, because you don’t think about bank robbers in 2024. There’s cameras everywhere. All your smart devices will tell the police where you were,” Sires told The Gazette. “Yet there’s a guy doing it, who to a degree was getting away with it. That, I think, it absolutely bonkers.”
“ChiefsAholic: A Wolf in Chiefs Clothing” was released on Dec. 24 and is available for streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
How it started
Day and Sires had just finished wrapping up “Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth?” an HBO Max series about missing Waterloo cousins whose killer was never found, when they got the call.
Their pitch about the ChiefsAholic was approved for funding after Babudar went radio silent.
For years, his near-daily updates were watched by thousands of fans. Twitter followers did some sleuthing and discovered his December 2022 arrest for robbing a credit union in Bixby, Oklahoma.
After spending years in the dark world of kidnapping, pedophilia and drug abuse, Babudar’s case was a much-needed new direction for the documentary makers — a compelling mystery without murder.
“This was still a true crime story … but there wasn’t anything like that,” Day said. “There was almost this Looney Tunes character so obsessed with the Chiefs that he was robbing banks to go to Chiefs games.”
With a small crew, they beelined to Oklahoma and met Babudar in January 2023, just after he was released from jail on bond with an ankle monitor.
An open-ended case
Even before Babudar was publicly connected to a string of robberies outside Oklahoma, Sires had a hunch that the ChiefsAholic was responsible for other similar bank robberies — including his first one in Clive, Iowa, in March 2022. For one, the robbers’ modus operandi was unique. He robbed each bank with a gun — an uncommon trait in modern robberies — and often jumped over the counter.
“I just didn’t believe him. Who does that in this day and age?” Day said. “(But) Dylan was right. Who is this guy who thinks he’s a cowboy, going from state to state to rob banks?”
Standing over 6 feet tall and about 250 pounds, their physical description of Babudar is an enigma of duality: imposing and muscular when he jumps for the Chiefs, but goofy and disarming with a high-pitched voice when he flashes a braces-clad smile outside of his wolf suit.
Through stakeouts and interviews with friends and family, they find frames of nuance in the story of a child who grew up living in a car with his mother and brother. All of them were part of another subculture that gets through life with multiple cars, but no jobs and no land.
“There’s this American outlaw aspect to them. They live on their own terms,” Day said. “They’ve figured out the system that works for them.”
Other Kansas City Chiefs superfans appear on camera, giving a glimpse into a culture that eats, sleeps and breathes this football team.
But Day, who isn’t a sports fan himself, says that appeal goes far beyond the football field sidelines.
“The things that excite me are subculture and counterculture,” he said. “The superfans are a subculture amongst themselves. There’s something very interesting about that.”
They caught up with the bank tellers who were pistol whipped, filmed reenactments of Babudar’s Oklahoma arrest with the arresting officers, and studied his stream of consciousness as he went to games and won six-figure bets.
But before they could wrap up production, the star of the documentary cut off his ankle monitor. Babudar lived on the run for four months during a nationwide manhunt led by a bail bondsman who had $80,000 of personal cash on the line.
In an uncommon feat for documentaries, viewers can watch the consequences of his actions in real time as producers chase an open-ended case — from jumping bail to a sentencing that came just under the film’s deadline.
“At some point, you have this guy who had no agency throughout most of his life. When he gets ahold of money, he starts to have agency,” Day said. “For someone living out of his car, what do you think happens?”
He started robbing banks in Iowa. Now, this documentary shows exclusive looks at the “ChiefsAholic.”
Producer Kristian Day, an Ely native, and director Dylan Sires, a Waterloo native, navigate interviews with Chiefs superfans through an unusual question: “Does America love a bank robber?”
www.thegazette.com
Council Bluffs power plant to host University of Iowa carbon capture study
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 10 Replies
Council Bluffs will be home to a new $11 million study being conducted by the University of Iowa researchers.
The university is launching a study on different ways to store carbon dioxide emissions, according to a news release.
MidAmerican Energy agreed to partner with the university to use the company's Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center south of Council Bluffs as the study's location.
The center is a coal-fired power plant in Council Bluffs on top of the Midcontinent Rift System. The formation holds about a 6-mile-thick area of basalt, which researchers are examining to see whether it could store carbon dioxide.
To do this, the project will drill about 5,000 feet into the site to gather data and rock samples which will then be tested for carbon dioxide injection simulations.
The Walter Scott Jr. Energy Center, located at 7215 Navajo St. in Council Bluffs, is a coal power plant operated by MidAmerican Energy.
SCOTT STEWART, THE NONPAREIL
“It's these predictive models that really kind of help us identify if this is even going to work in this location or not,” said Ryan Clark, a geologist at the University of Iowa.
The study will be a two-year project for $11.3 million, of which 20% will be funded by MidAmerican Energy. The U.S. Department of Energy will contribute $9 million toward the research.
“We are participating and contributing to the study because we view this as an important project that will help researchers determine whether carbon storage in the basalt formation deep below our facility is viable,” said Geoff Greenwood, media relations manager at MidAmerican Energy.
The injection of carbon dioxide under the Earth’s surface is not a new concept but is new to Iowa. Clark pointed out that many states around Iowa are already researching and moving toward this method.
“It has a really huge air quality benefit, not only, you know, kind of regionally and big picture, but it would have a really significant effect on the improving air quality there, locally,” Clark said.
Clark said that the project is not only conducted solely by the University of Iowa. While the school is the lead, it has partnered with a consulting firm, a drilling company and the Pacific Northwest National Lab.
“I want to make sure that folks know that it's, it's definitely a pretty good-sized project team that's got a lot of experience and should help us succeed in this,” Clark said.
nonpareilonline.com
The university is launching a study on different ways to store carbon dioxide emissions, according to a news release.
MidAmerican Energy agreed to partner with the university to use the company's Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center south of Council Bluffs as the study's location.
The center is a coal-fired power plant in Council Bluffs on top of the Midcontinent Rift System. The formation holds about a 6-mile-thick area of basalt, which researchers are examining to see whether it could store carbon dioxide.
To do this, the project will drill about 5,000 feet into the site to gather data and rock samples which will then be tested for carbon dioxide injection simulations.
The Walter Scott Jr. Energy Center, located at 7215 Navajo St. in Council Bluffs, is a coal power plant operated by MidAmerican Energy.
SCOTT STEWART, THE NONPAREIL
“It's these predictive models that really kind of help us identify if this is even going to work in this location or not,” said Ryan Clark, a geologist at the University of Iowa.
The study will be a two-year project for $11.3 million, of which 20% will be funded by MidAmerican Energy. The U.S. Department of Energy will contribute $9 million toward the research.
“We are participating and contributing to the study because we view this as an important project that will help researchers determine whether carbon storage in the basalt formation deep below our facility is viable,” said Geoff Greenwood, media relations manager at MidAmerican Energy.
The injection of carbon dioxide under the Earth’s surface is not a new concept but is new to Iowa. Clark pointed out that many states around Iowa are already researching and moving toward this method.
“It has a really huge air quality benefit, not only, you know, kind of regionally and big picture, but it would have a really significant effect on the improving air quality there, locally,” Clark said.
Clark said that the project is not only conducted solely by the University of Iowa. While the school is the lead, it has partnered with a consulting firm, a drilling company and the Pacific Northwest National Lab.
“I want to make sure that folks know that it's, it's definitely a pretty good-sized project team that's got a lot of experience and should help us succeed in this,” Clark said.
Council Bluffs power plant to host University of Iowa carbon capture study
Council Bluffs will be home to a two-year study through the University of Iowa looking into carbon dioxide sequestration at a local coal power plant.
Big 12 considering Private Equity Investment of $1 Billion for 20% of the Conference; also looking at Selling its Naming Rights to a Corporate Sponsor
- By Franisdaman
- Iowa Football
- 36 Replies
Talk about a desperate conference looking for money. I guess it could be worse; they could be talking to the Saudis.
The story from this morning from CBS Sports:
The proposed deal with a Luxembourg-based firm would bring a massive influx of cash to the league
By Dennis Dodd
June 13, 2024
Big 12 members are considering a first-of-its kind private equity investment to ensure the league's long-term financial and competitive security, multiple sources tell CBS Sports.
On the table is a possible cash infusion of $800 million to $1 billion from Luxembourg-based CVC Capital Partners in exchange for a 15% to 20% stake in the league, those sources said. A portion of the money would go directly to the 16 conference members, and the partnership would give the conference access to CVC's investment services and clients.
CVC is a global private equity giant that manages over $200 billion in investments worldwide, according to its website. The firm made a presentation to the league at the recent Big 12 spring meetings in Dallas.
While one source described the talks as "pretty serious," many league presidents need further convincing. Persons who spoke with CBS Sports preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.
No league has ever been this close to a private equity investment of this kind.
Big 12 teams are currently earning $31.7 million each with Fox and ESPN in a media rights deal that ends in 2031. Add in the cash infusion from private equity, and the two revenue streams would combine to move the Big 12 "much closer" to the Big Ten media rights deal, according to a person with intimate knowledge of the proposal.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with its schools set to earn approximately $75 million per year after it signed a new media rights agreement with Fox, CBS and NBC. (Oregon and Washington are not receiving full shares initially as they enter the league July 1.)
Should the Big 12 and CVC come to an agreement, it is not clear how soon a deal could be completed or when that money would start rolling into the conference.
The CVC investment would likely require the Big 12 to stay together long term. That might require some sort of assurance for CVC that a new grant of rights would be signed in 2031. The investment would certainly be a significant motivating factor to stay together, but with realignment, anything can always change quickly.
The discussion is to the point that three sources told CBS Sports a small working group of three Big 12 presidents have started digging down on the proposal. Sources said commissioner Brett Yormark had a prior relationship with CVC. Yormark would not comment when reached by CBS Sports.
One of the motivating factors for CVC is the considerable upside in the Big 12's value and media rights, according to sources who saw the presentation. The Big 12's current rights deal is worth $2.3 billion total. The league is currently fourth in average annual value for its schools among the Power Four behind the Big Ten, SEC and ACC.
A doubling of the Big 12 media rights would put the total value of the league at approximately $5 billion in its next negotiation. A 100% increase in value was deemed as reasonable by a media industry source contacted by CBS Sports. Media rights revenues for all FBS conferences have increased steadily in each of their recent negotiations.
All Division I schools are searching for additional revenue streams after last month's House v. NCAA settlement that is in the process of being presented to a district court judge for final approval. Revenue sharing with players is now a reality for the first time.
If the settlement is approved, Power Four conference schools would be allowed to share up to $22 million annually with athletes. As part of that settlement, schools will also consider adding scholarships to fully fund some sports. That's another added expense that could total $300 million over the next decade for each of those Power Four schools.
Typically, private equity firms such as CVC invest for the long term in companies with a growth profile. They make their money when their investment grows and they sell their stake. The industry term is called "exiting the investment."
"If we do well, they do well," said a person within the Big 12 who is familiar with the talks.
Florida State athletic director Mike Alford said he wasn't surprised a private equity firm was getting involved with a conference.
"The future is -- we're looking at it -- private equity," Alford told CBS Sports. "I think it will start at the conference level first if it doesn't start with us first."
It's no secret Florida State has partnered with private equity firm Sixth Street, another leading global equity firm, to maximize its value as it continues an attempt to exit the ACC.
For one month, beginning July 1, the Big 12 will operate as a 12-team league with the loss of Texas and Oklahoma to SEC. It will formally debut as a 16-team league on Aug. 1. That new Big 12 includes only two teams that have won national championships (Colorado, BYU). Half of the teams in the new Big Ten (nine of 18) have won championships. The ACC has four national champions. In the new SEC, seven of the 16 teams have won a national title.
Those inside the Big 12 continue to be impressed by Yormark's aggressive approach. His move to get the latest media rights deal done in October 2022 -- ahead of the Pac-12 -- eventually led to the collapse of the latter conference.
"He's throwing punches," one Big 12 source said. "The dude is bold. He's all about it. He's bullish."
Among CVC's sports portfolio is the Women's Tennis Association, the Gurajat Titans (cricket franchise in the Indian Premier League), LaLiga (Spain-based soccer giant), Ligue de Football Professionel (governing body that runs soccer leagues in France), Premiership Rugby (England's top league) and Six Nations Rugby United Rugby Championship (top league in Ireland, Scotland and Wales). Its U.S. investments include Petco.
CVC was founded in 1981. Rob Lucas is the company's CEO and managing partner who has been with the company since 1996.
Private equity is being considered an inevitability for college sports as schools seek additional revenue streams. RedBird Capital founder Gerry Cardinale raised eyebrows in December when he said college football was vastly undervalued. RedBird has a stake in soccer giant AC Milan as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox.
A new in-season basketball tournament -- the details of which were first reported by CBS Sports -- is backed by an offshoot of RedBird Capital, RedBird International Media Investments. RedBird IMI is majority funded by the United Arab Emirates and is headed by former CNN CEO Jeff Zucker.
www.cbssports.com
The story from this morning from CBS Sports:
Big 12 considering private equity investment of up to $1 billion for as much as 20% of conference
The proposed deal with a Luxembourg-based firm would bring a massive influx of cash to the league
By Dennis Dodd
June 13, 2024
Big 12 members are considering a first-of-its kind private equity investment to ensure the league's long-term financial and competitive security, multiple sources tell CBS Sports.
On the table is a possible cash infusion of $800 million to $1 billion from Luxembourg-based CVC Capital Partners in exchange for a 15% to 20% stake in the league, those sources said. A portion of the money would go directly to the 16 conference members, and the partnership would give the conference access to CVC's investment services and clients.
CVC is a global private equity giant that manages over $200 billion in investments worldwide, according to its website. The firm made a presentation to the league at the recent Big 12 spring meetings in Dallas.
While one source described the talks as "pretty serious," many league presidents need further convincing. Persons who spoke with CBS Sports preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.
No league has ever been this close to a private equity investment of this kind.
Big 12 teams are currently earning $31.7 million each with Fox and ESPN in a media rights deal that ends in 2031. Add in the cash infusion from private equity, and the two revenue streams would combine to move the Big 12 "much closer" to the Big Ten media rights deal, according to a person with intimate knowledge of the proposal.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with its schools set to earn approximately $75 million per year after it signed a new media rights agreement with Fox, CBS and NBC. (Oregon and Washington are not receiving full shares initially as they enter the league July 1.)
Should the Big 12 and CVC come to an agreement, it is not clear how soon a deal could be completed or when that money would start rolling into the conference.
The CVC investment would likely require the Big 12 to stay together long term. That might require some sort of assurance for CVC that a new grant of rights would be signed in 2031. The investment would certainly be a significant motivating factor to stay together, but with realignment, anything can always change quickly.
The discussion is to the point that three sources told CBS Sports a small working group of three Big 12 presidents have started digging down on the proposal. Sources said commissioner Brett Yormark had a prior relationship with CVC. Yormark would not comment when reached by CBS Sports.
One of the motivating factors for CVC is the considerable upside in the Big 12's value and media rights, according to sources who saw the presentation. The Big 12's current rights deal is worth $2.3 billion total. The league is currently fourth in average annual value for its schools among the Power Four behind the Big Ten, SEC and ACC.
A doubling of the Big 12 media rights would put the total value of the league at approximately $5 billion in its next negotiation. A 100% increase in value was deemed as reasonable by a media industry source contacted by CBS Sports. Media rights revenues for all FBS conferences have increased steadily in each of their recent negotiations.
All Division I schools are searching for additional revenue streams after last month's House v. NCAA settlement that is in the process of being presented to a district court judge for final approval. Revenue sharing with players is now a reality for the first time.
If the settlement is approved, Power Four conference schools would be allowed to share up to $22 million annually with athletes. As part of that settlement, schools will also consider adding scholarships to fully fund some sports. That's another added expense that could total $300 million over the next decade for each of those Power Four schools.
Typically, private equity firms such as CVC invest for the long term in companies with a growth profile. They make their money when their investment grows and they sell their stake. The industry term is called "exiting the investment."
"If we do well, they do well," said a person within the Big 12 who is familiar with the talks.
Florida State athletic director Mike Alford said he wasn't surprised a private equity firm was getting involved with a conference.
"The future is -- we're looking at it -- private equity," Alford told CBS Sports. "I think it will start at the conference level first if it doesn't start with us first."
It's no secret Florida State has partnered with private equity firm Sixth Street, another leading global equity firm, to maximize its value as it continues an attempt to exit the ACC.
For one month, beginning July 1, the Big 12 will operate as a 12-team league with the loss of Texas and Oklahoma to SEC. It will formally debut as a 16-team league on Aug. 1. That new Big 12 includes only two teams that have won national championships (Colorado, BYU). Half of the teams in the new Big Ten (nine of 18) have won championships. The ACC has four national champions. In the new SEC, seven of the 16 teams have won a national title.
Those inside the Big 12 continue to be impressed by Yormark's aggressive approach. His move to get the latest media rights deal done in October 2022 -- ahead of the Pac-12 -- eventually led to the collapse of the latter conference.
"He's throwing punches," one Big 12 source said. "The dude is bold. He's all about it. He's bullish."
Among CVC's sports portfolio is the Women's Tennis Association, the Gurajat Titans (cricket franchise in the Indian Premier League), LaLiga (Spain-based soccer giant), Ligue de Football Professionel (governing body that runs soccer leagues in France), Premiership Rugby (England's top league) and Six Nations Rugby United Rugby Championship (top league in Ireland, Scotland and Wales). Its U.S. investments include Petco.
CVC was founded in 1981. Rob Lucas is the company's CEO and managing partner who has been with the company since 1996.
Private equity is being considered an inevitability for college sports as schools seek additional revenue streams. RedBird Capital founder Gerry Cardinale raised eyebrows in December when he said college football was vastly undervalued. RedBird has a stake in soccer giant AC Milan as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox.
A new in-season basketball tournament -- the details of which were first reported by CBS Sports -- is backed by an offshoot of RedBird Capital, RedBird International Media Investments. RedBird IMI is majority funded by the United Arab Emirates and is headed by former CNN CEO Jeff Zucker.
Big 12 considering private equity investment of up to $1 billion for as much as 20% of conference
The proposed deal with a Luxembourg-based firm would bring a massive influx of cash to the league
www.cbssports.com
Dunker, Richman Discuss the Future of the Iowa OL
- By RossWB
- The Press Box
- 0 Replies
The future of the Iowa OL was a key topic during media availability this week and Gennings Dunker and Mason Richman talked about:
-- young guys who have impressed
-- how the OL can continue to improve
-- the importance of George Barnett
and much more.
iowa.rivals.com
-- young guys who have impressed
-- how the OL can continue to improve
-- the importance of George Barnett
and much more.
Dunker, Richman Discuss the Future of the Iowa OL
Gennings Dunker and Mason Richman discussed some of the new faces on the Iowa OL for 2025.
Iowa City cancels Riverside Drive Pedestrian Bridge rehabilitation project
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 4 Replies
Iowa City is canceling a $1.3 million project that would have improved the Riverside Drive pedestrian bridge and spiral ramp at Iowa Avenue after no contractors bid on the project.
Construction on the project was scheduled to start in the spring of 2025 and end later in the summer. The rehabilitation project would have included improvements to the concrete on the bridge and ramp, expansion joint rehabilitation, as well as a new handrail and lighting.
A 2019 report found concrete spalling and exposed reinforcement on the bridge. The proposed project planned to improve the aesthetics of the bridge while also addressing concerns about the state of the concrete.
City Manager Geoff Fruin said the city has no structural concerns with the current bridge and will continue to evaluate the future of the bridge in the coming years while performing ongoing maintenance on the structure.
The deadline to bid on the project was Oct. 4, but the city extended the deadline after no contractors bid on the project. The decision to cancel the project was made earlier this month after the city gathered feedback from project contractors.
“The project schedule and work limitations were quite stringent as the City was aiming to minimize impacts on all modes of travel during construction,” Fruin said.
The pedestrian bridge, which crosses a busy Riverside Road, connecting the University of Iowa medical campus with the main campus, would have been closed for the entirety of the project. Additionally, one lane of traffic would be closed at times during the construction period.
ADVERTISING
“As we explored other approaches to the project, we concluded that in the short-term that changes to the construction approach that could attract more contractors to bid on the project, would have had too significant of impacts on travel in that region,” said Fruin.
The Iowa Department of Transportation, University of Iowa and City of Iowa City share responsibility for the maintenance of the pedestrian bridge.
The DOT is responsible for 50 percent of all maintenance costs associated with the bridge, while the city and university are each responsible for 25 percent.
Iowa City would have spent approximately $325,000 on the pedestrian bridge rehabilitation project.
A similar pedestrian bridge down the road also may undergo future work.
Preliminary work is underway to replace Iowa City’s Burlington Street Bridges, which cross the river east of Riverside Drive, one eastbound and one westbound. A 2021 inspection reported the bridges were in “poor” condition and “structurally deficient.” The cost estimate for the project is $30 million.
A consultant, Cedar Rapids-based HDR, is studying the bridges to offer a preliminary design for their replacement. Iowa City, the University of Iowa and the Iowa DOT are working together on the project.
As part of the study, the spiral pedestrian ramp and bridge at Riverside Drive and Burlington Street also will be examined. The current ramp — whose design is similar to the bridge at Iowa Avenue — is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A preferred design for the Burlington Street Bridges project is expected to be finalized in 2026.
www.thegazette.com
Construction on the project was scheduled to start in the spring of 2025 and end later in the summer. The rehabilitation project would have included improvements to the concrete on the bridge and ramp, expansion joint rehabilitation, as well as a new handrail and lighting.
A 2019 report found concrete spalling and exposed reinforcement on the bridge. The proposed project planned to improve the aesthetics of the bridge while also addressing concerns about the state of the concrete.
City Manager Geoff Fruin said the city has no structural concerns with the current bridge and will continue to evaluate the future of the bridge in the coming years while performing ongoing maintenance on the structure.
Minimizing travel impacts
The deadline to bid on the project was Oct. 4, but the city extended the deadline after no contractors bid on the project. The decision to cancel the project was made earlier this month after the city gathered feedback from project contractors.
“The project schedule and work limitations were quite stringent as the City was aiming to minimize impacts on all modes of travel during construction,” Fruin said.
The pedestrian bridge, which crosses a busy Riverside Road, connecting the University of Iowa medical campus with the main campus, would have been closed for the entirety of the project. Additionally, one lane of traffic would be closed at times during the construction period.
ADVERTISING
“As we explored other approaches to the project, we concluded that in the short-term that changes to the construction approach that could attract more contractors to bid on the project, would have had too significant of impacts on travel in that region,” said Fruin.
Shared maintenance responsibility
The Iowa Department of Transportation, University of Iowa and City of Iowa City share responsibility for the maintenance of the pedestrian bridge.
The DOT is responsible for 50 percent of all maintenance costs associated with the bridge, while the city and university are each responsible for 25 percent.
Iowa City would have spent approximately $325,000 on the pedestrian bridge rehabilitation project.
Other pedestrian bridge will be studied
A similar pedestrian bridge down the road also may undergo future work.
Preliminary work is underway to replace Iowa City’s Burlington Street Bridges, which cross the river east of Riverside Drive, one eastbound and one westbound. A 2021 inspection reported the bridges were in “poor” condition and “structurally deficient.” The cost estimate for the project is $30 million.
A consultant, Cedar Rapids-based HDR, is studying the bridges to offer a preliminary design for their replacement. Iowa City, the University of Iowa and the Iowa DOT are working together on the project.
As part of the study, the spiral pedestrian ramp and bridge at Riverside Drive and Burlington Street also will be examined. The current ramp — whose design is similar to the bridge at Iowa Avenue — is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A preferred design for the Burlington Street Bridges project is expected to be finalized in 2026.
Iowa City cancels Riverside Drive Pedestrian Bridge rehabilitation project
Iowa City is canceling a $1.3 million project that would have improved the Riverside Drive pedestrian bridge and spiral ramp at Iowa Avenue after no contractors bid on the project.
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