[archited]

Over the years, Edmonton has been great at destroying its "built" heritage. How surprising that this would not receive any kind of special consideration. Personally, I would rather see the new bridge town down, saving the green. How stupid Edmonton's politicos can be!

 

[Daveography]

Landmark, Set, Go!
Walterdale Bridge will open to traffic Monday morning

September 17, 2017

A moment Edmontonians have been waiting for is here: the new Walterdale Bridge will be open to traffic for the Monday, September 18 morning commute.

“We’re pleased to be able to share this beautiful bridge with the public,” said Deputy City Manager, Adam Laughlin. “This new river valley icon will be something for commuters to look forward to on Monday morning and for Edmontonians to use and admire for the next 100 years.”

Two of the three traffic lanes will be open initially in order to accommodate necessary road tie-in work on the north side of the bridge. This work cannot be done until the old bridge closes. The new Walterdale Bridge will have all three lanes open in October.

Current pedestrian access will be maintained on the west sidewalk of the old bridge as crews complete sidewalk tie-ins for the new Walterdale Bridge. The new west sidewalk will open in October as well.

The signature shared-use path will open later this fall along with some surrounding trails; however some trail connections cannot be completed until the old bridge is removed. Pedestrians and cyclists are asked to continue following trail detour signs in the area.

Once pedestrian and vehicle traffic moves fully to the new bridge, the access road out of the Kinsmen Sports Centre will be realigned and demolition of the old bridge will begin. This work will be completed in 2018.

The $155 million Walterdale Bridge Replacement Project began in Spring 2013. The result is a signature piece of infrastructure that will serve Edmontonians for the next 100 years.

For more information:
edmonton.ca/walterdalebridge

Media contact:
Holly Budd
Communications Manager
780-221-1189

 

[Daveography]

It's open! Rode the new lanes on my bike; wouldn't have done that if it wasn't slow rush hour traffic. The MUPs don't open for a while yet still.

Saw a coyote on my way down but sadly didn't have my camera out that that point.

 

[archited]

The coyote was an omen... warning don't tear down the green bridge!

 

[Daveography]

@archited No that was the pigeons, they live there. The coyote doesn't like the old bridge, the steel grating hurts his feet.

 

[archited]

LOL @Daveography -- but Coyotes eat pigeons when they venture away from the Green Bridge safe haven. That's the point (let's not squabble).

 

[Daveography]

Edmonton’s new Walterdale Bridge opens after lengthy delay
It was a long time coming for Edmonton motorists; the new Walterdale Bridge opened to traffic on Monday morning after more than two years of delays.

“It’s beautiful. Enjoy it. It’s something that we’ll be proud of into the future,” Mayor Don Iveson said.

Two of three lanes opened to traffic on Monday. The city said third lane will open in October.

Motorists shared their first trip across the new bridge on social media.

Pedestrians won’t be able to use the new Walterdale bridge until the sidewalk is completed sometime in October. Until then, pedestrians can use the west sidewalk of the old bridge.

A shared-use path will open later this fall along with some surrounding trails, according to the city. Some trail connections can’t be finished until the old bridge is removed.

The city said the access road out of the Kinsmen Sports Centre will be realigned and the old bridge will be demolished once pedestrian and vehicle traffic moves completely to the new bridge, which will be completed in 2018.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3752100/e...-walterdale-bridge-opens-after-lengthy-delay/

Drive on: New Walterdale Bridge opens to traffic with little fanfare
Rush-hour traffic flowed across the new Walterdale Bridge Monday morning after the city partially opened the long-delayed project.

The city announced Sunday afternoon that it would open the $155-million bridge to traffic in time for Monday’s commute.

Work began on the project in spring of 2013. The three-lane span was supposed to open in the fall of 2015, but the project ran into setbacks, including the delayed arrival of 42 steel arches fabricated in South Korea.

General contractor Acciona Pacer Joint Venture began incurring daily late penalties of $10,000 in June 2015, which increased to $17,000 in October 2015.

Two lanes of traffic opened with little fanfare Monday, with the third free-flow lane closed until October to complete road tie-in work on the north side of the bridge. That work can’t be done until the old bridge is closed, the city said.

Pedestrians will still cross on the old bridge until October, when the west sidewalk on the new bridge is expected to open.

The old bridge will be demolished in 2018.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...e-bridge-opens-to-traffic-with-little-fanfare

New Walterdale Bridge finally opens to traffic

 

[Das Ponto]

Finally!

It looks great, even if I cringe when I see the plates... lol

 

[Daveography]

Rust in peace, old Walterdale Bridge
...
"The pieces that are salvageable will be salvaged," Laughlin said. He said some pieces of the old structure may be used in future projects in the river valley.

The original Walterdale Bridge was constructed in 1913 and finished in 1914.

The girder style design was fairly common for the time, including the see-through steel deck.

An archive photo from 1915 showing the Walterdale and High Level bridges. (City of Edmonton Archives EA-10325)

"It would have replaced the earlier ferry that John Walter ran across," said city archivist Kathryn Ivany.

"Edmonton is always progressing, there is always something giving way and something new that's coming along."

Then in the 1950s through to the '70s, several plans were suggested to update or replace it.

"So I think that the fact that we finally got a new Walterdale Bridge — after approximately 50-odd years of trying — is impressive," Ivany said. "So a two year delay is not too bad."

As the sun rises on the new Walterdale, it sets on the historic bridge. (John Robertson/CBC)

The old green bridge will be remembered for the sounds it made as vehicles crossed it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/walterdale-edmonton-bridge-new-opens-old-1.4294921

 

[archited]

Another piece of Edmonton History bites the dust -- when will it end, when will it ever end!

 

[bonk]

Another piece of Edmonton History bites the dust -- when will it end, when will it ever end!

In Toronto there's a really cool place called Guildwood, that has columns and parts of facades etc. saved from historical buildings, arranged in a forest. It's amazing to explore, especially if you don't know why those things have been put there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_Park_and_Gardens

Perhaps parts of the bridge, and the old coliseum and whatever else, could be put into a park as permanent art installations. However I don't think either would be used and beloved enough to maintain them where they are. Anyone who tried would lose money, and it wouldn't be fair to taxpayers if the City did that. These things have history but they're not so important that many people would go to them just to experience their history.

 

[archited]

However I don't think either would be used and beloved enough to maintain them where they are. Anyone who tried would lose money, and it wouldn't be fair to taxpayers if the City did that. These things have history but they're not so important that many people would go to them just to experience their history.

@bonk this is the very same argument that the City gave me back in 1970/71 when we were trying to preserve 'Old Strathcona' -- look how far off the mark they were in light of today's vision. You don't "save" old buildings to look at; you repurpose them so that they are economically functional. I know that I could redesign the green bridge so that it would far outshine the simple new bridge and make it far more functional also. Ditto for the Coliseum building.

 

[chrisvazquez7]

Here's a video I took yesterday.

And if you already forget, here's what the old bridge was like:

 

[archited]

Excellent work @chrisvazquez7! At least the old bridge will be saved in video -- so sad!

 

[Daveography]

Nice video @chrisvazquez7! It is really neat going under the new bridge. Can't wait for the MUP to open.