[Daveography]

This is pretty cool!

"Hanging Iron is a half hour documentary following ironworkers at the Walterdale Bridge job site in Edmonton, Alberta. From battling extreme weather to balancing massive components with precision accuracy at dizzying heights, these are the most demanding kinds of construction jobs on the planet, and it’s never the same challenge twice."

 

[Daveography]

Old Walterdale Bridge built in 1913 may have other lives, says city

The plaque on the old Walterdale Bridge is seen after its replacement opened in Edmonton, Alberta on Monday, September 18, 2017. IAN KUCERAK / POSTMEDIA

Removal of the old Walterdale Bridge is underway but the city is still working out how to salvage and repurpose what is not scrapped.

Options under consideration include using parts of the old bridge to create art, a river valley lookout or landscaping in different park areas, say city officials.

Ryan Teplitsky, construction project manager for the city, said the 1913 bridge’s plaque, steel posts, railing grating, trusses and box beams are a few of the elements that could be saved. Steel would have to be refurbished and have its lead paint removed before it could be reused safely.

There is no concept, budget or timeline for the salvaging plan yet, although the bridge is expected to be taken down before the end of the year. Pedestrians still have access to the walking path, but only for a few more days.

Salvaging plans “will go through a public consultation process,” Teplitsky said.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...-built-in-1913-may-have-other-lives-says-city

 

[Daveography]

Edmonton pedestrians can now use new Walterdale Bridge
The Walterdale Bridge is officially open to everyone, including pedestrians.

On Friday morning, the new bridge’s third lane and the west pedestrian walkway opened.

“Now that it’s open to three — I mean, it’s still going to bottleneck downtown, that’s why we didn’t make it an eight-lane bridge because the congestion you hit right after the bridge is a fact of life — but as a three-lane bridge, it should flow a lot smoother with the merging of the two hills coming together,” Mayor Don Iveson said.

Two of three lanes of the Walterdale opened to commuters on Sept. 18 after more than two years of delays.

Pedestrians were using the west sidewalk on the old Walterdale Bridge until Friday. With both vehicle and pedestrian traffic now open on the new bridge, the old Walterdale is completely closed for demolition.

“It’s awesome,” cyclist Myrnel Jonson said on Friday. “Absolutely beautiful.”

“I love the contrast of the old and new,” fellow cyclist Lynette Jonson added. “It’s beautiful.”

“Seeing it up close, it’s just amazing,” pedestrian Ian Patton said. “It’s really a beautiful piece of work, even if it’s a couple years late, I don’t care. It’s beautiful.”

Those getting onto the new bridge from the Kinsmen Centre will continue using the existing road until the access is realigned.

The new shared-use path on the east side of the new bridge will open later this fall.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3776582/edmonton-pedestrians-can-now-use-new-walterdale-bridge/

 

[Daveography]

@archited Might want to

Spoiler: look away

Rick Bremness‏ @bremness 16 minutes ago
#yeg #walterdalebridge is starting to come down. #CBC

 

[archited]

I can take it, @Daveography -- this is not the first time Edmonton has destroyed its history and I am quite certain that it won't be the last.

 

[bonk]

I can take it, @Daveography -- this is not the first time Edmonton has destroyed its history and I am quite certain that it won't be the last.

I was upset when they took out the municipal airport runway. They could have repurposed it as an asphalt sunbathers' beach.

 

[Daveography]

Walterdale Bridge approaches end of its lifespan
The Walterdale Bridge is nearing the end of its lifespan.

By the end of the year, the new bridge will stand alone, with little trace of the 103-year-old bridge which began as part of the amalgamation deal when Strathcona joined Edmonton.

The history of the bridge begins long before the steel or concrete was hauled down the river banks, said city archivist Kathryn Ivany.

"This has always been a river crossing" Ivany said. "This is a natural ford in the river. It had been used by Indigenous people for thousands of years.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/walterdale-bridge-demolition-1.4362432

 

[Daveography]

Old Walterdale bridge is coming down
October 20, 2017

After more than 100 years of service, the old Walterdale Bridge is coming down. Major demolition work will begin this weekend with the removal of the north truss. Crews will use a crane to lift the truss and set it onto the north river berm for dismantling. This work is weather dependent.

While the City understands public interest in the bridge demolition, our first priority is safety. Due to its proximity to the north work area, the west sidewalk on the new bridge will be closed for the duration of the crane lift. Pedestrians and cyclists will detour to the west bridge lane under flagperson control. Vehicle traffic will continue to use the remaining two lanes. The crane lift is expected to take several hours. The project team has scheduled the work to take place during off-peak traffic times to minimize disruptions to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Major bridge demolition will be staged over the next few months, with completion anticipated for the end of 2017. After the north truss is removed, the south truss will be lifted and dismantled, followed by the centre truss. Both the south and centre trusses will be lifted onto a temporary tower on the south berm, then moved to the south shore for dismantling. Lastly, crews will remove the concrete piers from the river and bridge abutments.

The dismantled bridge steel belongs to the primary contractor, who is responsible for moving it off site to be recycled. Some portions of steel will be salvaged for repurposing in a future project.

For more information:
edmonton.ca/walterdalebridge

Media contact:
Holly Budd
Communications
780-221-1189

 

[Daveography]

Getting ready to lift out the north span.

 

[Daveography]

Bonus artsy photos:

MUP progress:

 

[Marcanadian]

Awesome shots; especially love that one of the streetcar.

 

[bonk]

It certainly feels more historical and pretty now that it's going, and so quickly! I never thought to miss it until now. I'm glad it's being photographed and documented.

It's a shame that old rusty bridges couldn't easily be transported and/or safely used until they fall apart, because I would have liked to see it reused intact, I just wouldn't want to pay however many tens of millions to do so. If they rushed it out of the way (and out of existence) for other reasons, like appearances or politics, then archited I agree it would have been better to not demolish it*. No one is in such a rush over clearing out the Baccarat, so I hope they have good reasons.

Edit: *at least not so quickly.

 

[Daveography]

The impetus for the new bridge was that refurbishing the old one wasn't considered feasible. The steel is set to be reused for a number of local projects for art, street furniture, etc.

 

[Daveography]

Popped by this morning, nothing really changed yet, still haven't lifted the span.

Old Walterdale bridge demolition scheduled for the weekend postponed

After more than 100 years of service, the old Walterdale Bridge in downtown Edmonton is now under demolition. Major demolition work will begin this weekend (October 21, 22, 2017). (PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/POSTMEDIA)
The partial demolition of the old Walterdale bridge has been postponed until at least Monday after the contractor experienced issues with its crane.

Removal of the north truss on the centenarian structure was expected to take place this weekend, the city said Friday.

But a press release late Saturday thwarted those plans.

The release went on to say that contractors will attempt to resolve the issue Sunday and “will reschedule the lift as soon as safely possible, and as weather permits.”

The west sidewalk on the new Walterdale Bridge, which was supposed to be closed due to its proximity to the work, was expected to be open Sunday.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...emolition-scheduled-for-the-weekend-postponed

 

[Daveography]

Sad I missed this!

City of Edmonton‏ @CityofEdmonton 1 hour ago
North truss of the old Walterdale bridge has been successfully lifted. Two more lifts scheduled http://ow.ly/kOjg30fWpbc #walterdalebridge