Thompson Peak Parkway carries four lanes of traffic until it reaches Reata Wash, where it drops to two. That pinch point has been part of the drive for as long as DC Ranch has existed, and it was there on purpose. When DC Ranch was developed, the agreement between the City of Scottsdale and the developer required both bridges over the wash to be designed. Only one had to be built, because traffic in the new community didn't yet justify a second.
The city broke ground on that second bridge on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and set Monday, Nov. 2 as the first day of construction. The project should take about 12 months. The second span is the other half of a crossing that was always meant to have two, and the city's stated reason for finishing it now centers on bicycles.
A Crossing Designed for Two Bridges, Built With One
Under the original arrangement, the city would build the second bridge once the area developed and traffic warranted it. Thompson Peak's four vehicle lanes and two bike lanes squeeze down to two vehicle lanes and two bike lanes across the existing span.
The new two-lane bridge will match the existing one and include bike lanes and a sidewalk. When it's done, the City of Scottsdale's project page says Thompson Peak Parkway will have four continuous lanes with bike lanes from Scottsdale Road to 100th Street. Reata Wash is the last gap in that stretch.
The City Says Bicycles Made It Urgent
Most of the city's explanation is about bikes. Its project history says the bridge "has kept up with the vehicular traffic volume," but that more bicycle traffic on this segment has made the crossing "a safety concern for motorists and cyclists." The groundbreaking announcement says the same thing: the existing bridge has handled vehicle traffic, and more bicycle use has made a safer, more consistent crossing necessary.
Alison Tymkiw, the city's senior director of transportation and infrastructure, put it this way in the City of Scottsdale's groundbreaking announcement:
"The second bridge will provide consistent travel lanes and dedicated space for people biking and walking across the wash."
That fits the area around the bridge. DC Ranch says its 47 neighborhood parks are linked by more than 50 miles of paths and trails. The network connects parks and community centers and leads walkers, runners and cyclists toward the Preserve. The community's path map shows the Thompson Peak Parkway Bridge alongside Market Street & Plaza, Market Street Park, the Covered Bridge, the Stone Bridge, Desert Camp Community Center, The Homestead and the Community Garden. The city says the finished crossing will also improve access to nearby parks and schools.
Seven Years From the Ballot to the Wash
Scottsdale voters approved the bridge in November 2019 as Project 62 of the bond program, under Question 2, Community Spaces and Infrastructure. DC Ranch's Community Council says its advocacy is why the bridge was the only transportation project in the 2019 bond election. The schedule changed several times between that vote and this week:
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Nov. 5, 2019 | Scottsdale voters pass all three bond questions, totaling more than $300 million in projects |
| February 2020 | The city's bond implementation report shows the bridge in 2027 |
| March 13, 2020 | City Manager Jim Thompson tells the DC Ranch Community Council the project will move up to 2024 |
| March 2023 | The city schedule calls for design in 2024 and construction in 2025 to 2026 |
| June 2024 | The FY24/25 budget funds the design |
| 2025 | Kimley-Horn begins the required environmental and cultural resource surveys |
| July 2026 | The city shares initial designs with the DC Ranch Community Council |
| Sept. 9, 2026 | Public open house at The Homestead |
| Sept. 22, 2026 | City Council approves the construction contract on consent |
| Oct. 27, 2026 | Groundbreaking |
| Nov. 2, 2026 | Construction begins, with about 12 months of work ahead |
The cost grew along with the schedule. The 2019 bond package included $6.3 million for the bridge, according to Scottsdale Progress. The construction contract the council approved on Sept. 22, 2026, Contract 27IBF097 with Ames Construction, is capped at $8,085,461.26 under Resolution 13778. The city now lists the total project budget at $14.2 million. Bond money covers most of it and the city's 0.2% transportation sales tax covers the rest.
DC Ranch's Community Council noted back in March 2023 that inflation and construction delays nationwide had raised costs across the city's bond projects. It also said the city had found additional funding and hadn't dropped any bond project. Before the Sept. 22 vote, Scottsdale Progress counted 26 bond projects listed as completed, which leaves the city less than halfway through the program.
What DC Ranch Asked the New Bridge to Look Like
The original crossing has a look the community wanted to keep. After reviewing the city's first drawings in July 2026, the DC Ranch Community Council sent this feedback:
- Fake stone is not acceptable. The stone should match the original bridge by using DC Cobble.
- Jersey barriers along the full length of the bridge are also unacceptable. The council suggested dropping the sidewalk and continuing the natural path through the wash.
- The council would have preferred to keep the arched supports under the bridge but understood that removing them saves the city money.
- Metal railings are acceptable in place of wood if they match the original design. The council asked that the original bridge's railings, which it described as in poor condition, also be replaced with metal.
Some of that overlaps with the contract. Scottsdale Progress reported that the contract includes a public art component and minor improvements to the existing bridge. DC Ranch notes that city ordinance requires a public art piece on the project. At the groundbreaking, the city credited the collaboration between Scottsdale and DC Ranch along with the teams from Kimley-Horn and Ames Construction.
The First Phase Happens Below the Road
Most of the early work takes place in the wash, under the parkway. According to the city's project page, the first phase looks like this:
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Work: Salvaging and relocating native plants, finding and possibly relocating underground utilities, and drilling shafts for the bridge supports
- Location: Mostly below grade in Reata Wash
- Traffic: No impact on travel lanes during this phase
- On-site setup: The contractor's staging area and a temporary nursery for the salvaged plants
The Scottsdale Independent described the finished project the same way the city does: no more four-to-two-lane bottleneck, four continuous travel lanes with bike lanes, and a sidewalk on the new bridge. For schedule questions while work is underway, the city runs a project hotline at 602-290-0729.
The Homestead, at 18600 N. 98th Street, held the September open house and has a veranda, splash pad, playground, basketball court and community theatre. Desert Camp Community Center, at 9260 E. Desert Camp Drive, has pools, a playground, a fitness center, courts and event space. A half-acre public space east of Market Street Plaza, Market Street Park has a fire pit, grills, a play area, a natural stage and shade.
If you own near Reata Wash and want to know how the year of construction and the four-lane crossing that follows could affect what your home is worth, Jaime Fernandez can prepare a detailed valuation for your street. Request Your Free Home Valuation.
