[archited]

It is pretty easy to imagine the overpass as part of Qualico's blocks-long linear park that then extends to include Mary Burlie Park, and the pedestrian way between 96th and 97th Street, all as an interconnected unit. If the bridge goes then there would be an unnecessary gap in that potential spirit-lifting experience. In my mind that would be a decisive move backwards for downtown.

 

[dkazzed]

I'm on team keep some sort of overpass, but I wonder how the current one is doing structurally? And if it were to be replaced, is it feasible? Could a new one be built not as thick since it only has to support pedestrians and maybe a maintenance vehicle or food trucks, in addition to static loads, and we gain more height clearance for vehicles below? Take out the sidewalks, bring all pedestrians above, and make the roadway a little wider?

I think the removal of the overpass and levelling everything to grade ship sailed when they built RAM.

 

[SarcasticMarmot]

I'm on team keep some sort of overpass, but I wonder how the current one is doing structurally? And if it were to be replaced, is it feasible? Could a new one be built not as thick since it only has to support pedestrians and maybe a maintenance vehicle or food trucks, in addition to static loads, and we gain more height clearance for vehicles below? Take out the sidewalks, bring all pedestrians above, and make the roadway a little wider?

I think the removal of the overpass and levelling everything to grade ship sailed when they built RAM.

I really like the idea of levelling the pedestrian part and keeping the roadway underpass. I walk through those tunnels regularly, and it is.... unpleasant...

 

[Out of Towner]

What's wrong with bringing 97 Street up to grade and then placing a pedestrian bridge over 97 Street? The underpass as it exists is a bottleneck that hinders development along the 97 Street corridor and it doesn't meet any historic criteria for keeping it. The Qualico project probably wouldn't exist today if the 101 Street underpass wasn't removed and the same goes for the development along 109 Street if the Rat Hole hadn't been removed. Accommodating an underpass by modifying the building around it is an urban planning mistake that makes little sense. Store fronts or podiums have to be at street level for them to have any chance of being commercially successful because a street level dead zone is created by the different elevations and any foot traffic that might occur by way of the current arrangement would be minimal.

 

[kcantor]

What's wrong with bringing 97 Street up to grade and then placing a pedestrian bridge over 97 Street? …

The RAM’s parking and basement service access all come off of 97th Street just south of the bridge even though they did have another option for that (and for their loading dock location and access for that matter instead of placing out at the corner of one of downtown’s major entry intersections).

As a result, 97th Street could be raised to the level of the existing adjacent sidewalks under the bridge but no more than that. The result would be much like Jasper Avenue between 109 and 110 Street.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Since this brought up again, I too suggest that they change things up by getting rid of the sidewalk underneath and widening the roadway a bit, and then the reroute the walking and cycling path onto the topside area of the bridge. Then connect and extend Mary Burlie park to the bridge area.

 

[Gronk!]

Demolition is almost done

The old CN bridge currently being discussed

 

[supaflyryguy]

Since this brought up again, I too suggest that they change things up by getting rid of the sidewalk underneath and widening the roadway a bit, and then the reroute the walking and cycling path onto the topside area of the bridge. Then connect and extend Mary Burlie park to the bridge area.

This is the right solution. Leave the vehicular underpass and put people up top away from the cars and into a connected park.

 

[Out of Towner]

This is the right solution. Leave the vehicular underpass and put people up top away from the cars and into a connected park.

Since this brought up again, I too suggest that they change things up by getting rid of the sidewalk underneath and widening the roadway a bit, and then the reroute the walking and cycling path onto the topside area of the bridge. Then connect and extend Mary Burlie park to the bridge area.

That part of the equation works but how do you convince developers to build something nice around a 100 year old hole in the ground?

 

[kcantor]

That part of the equation works but how do you convince developers to build something nice around a 100 year old hole in the ground?

Eliminating the sidewalk works but you can’t likely “widen the car lanes” as the abutments/foundations can’t be removed.

We had some very interesting architectural concepts for the street edges facing that 100 year old hole in the ground… The east end of the P1 parkade level was converted to retail along with a porte couchiere set back from the property line to widen the pedestrian domain (similar to what was done alone the 101 Street edge). The porte couchiere could serve either a hotel or a residential tower.

 

[Out of Towner]

Eliminating the sidewalk works but you can’t likely “widen the car lanes” as the abutments/foundations can’t be removed.

We had some very interesting architectural concepts for the street edges facing that 100 year old hole in the ground… The east end of the P1 parkade level was converted to retail along with a porte couchiere set back from the property line to widen the pedestrian domain (similar to what was done alone the 101 Street edge). The porte couchiere could serve either a hotel or a residential tower.

Any idea why the conceptuals were shelved? Sounds like they aligned themselves with the public policy of increasing densification downtown. The plan that was selected reduces the number of development options on adjacent properties. A porte couchere serving a hotel or residential tower would have made the property on the east side of 97th Street a desirable location to build. Right now I'd say that it's at the bottom of the list of desirable properties to build on and the 97th Street entrance into the downtown core will likely remain sketchy for years to come.

 

[Avenuer]

I just want to be able to bike from CN Tower, through the new Roundhouse Park at Station Lands and across 97 Street on the existing bridge to connect to the SUP along the Capital Line. Make it so, Qualico et al!

 

[Gronk!]