On October 18, 2011, City of Tempe officials invited the community to celebrate the opening of the long-awaited Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge with an inaugural run/walk/ride event at sunrise.
 
Otak collaborated with T.Y. Lin and artist Laurie Lundquist on the project, and was responsible for the bridge’s architecture, lighting, and urban design. The inspiration for the design came from the built and natural environments of Tempe Town Lake and Rio Salado. The graceful curves of the arches recall the undulating Salt River and the crossing of the arches and suspension cables create geometric shapes that echo patterns found in the Tempe Center for the Arts roof line. Crossing of the arches creates a distinctive shadow on the bridge deck that is commemorated in a paving band, which marks the shadow on the summer solstice. The shade structures between each arch evoke the wings of a crane in flight and subtle lighting enhances the romantic nighttime atmosphere of Tempe Town Lake.
 
The bridge also serves as a functional icon, connecting the lake’s south and north shores near the western dam, providing what officials long considered a missing link in the countywide system of pedestrian and bike paths. This system includes Indian Bend Wash, Mill Avenue District, and the Rio Salado project. Now, people can commute by bike into downtown Phoenix from communities over 20 miles away. The new bridge also supports the lake’s dam system by shading its bladders and cooling them with a built-in sprinkler system under the deck.