High Level Bridge

[darwink]

This is part of the lobbying efforts, no? Most important to get the province on side no, as they own the top deck.

 

[Daveography]

@darwink Going to EDC would imply that it's moved just one step past lobbying and into an actual design phase. Design phases have money.

 

[darwink]

@darwink Going to EDC would imply that it's moved just one step past lobbying and into an actual design phase. Design phases have money.

Key word there is informal. Maybe they have had a small grant to flesh out ideas, but have we heard about any government funding? No unless we all missed it.

 

[Daveography]

@darwink True, but this definitely marks it as a much more serious proposal than it has been so far.

 

[archited]

I thought that a study suggested that the existing High Level was not capable of taking on the extra load -- at least not in a safe fashion.

 

[Daveography]

@archited Not for LRVs, apparently. People are probably ok.

 

[danimori]

I believe it's part of getting grant money for further planning work.

 

[_Citizen_Dane_]

Group asks city for $500K for park to connect downtown and Whyte Ave

The group pitching a park connecting downtown and Whyte Avenue is asking the City of Edmonton for $500,000, putting the project into question during provincial budget cuts.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

 

[darwink]

Group asks city for $500K for park to connect downtown and Whyte Ave

The group pitching a park connecting downtown and Whyte Avenue is asking the City of Edmonton for $500,000, putting the project into question during provincial budget cuts.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Who owns the top deck of the High Level today? Still the province? I forget whether it is the city owns the entire thing then leases the top to the province which leases rights to the streetcar, or if the province owns the whole thing then leases the road deck to the city. Because when CN wanted to off load it, no one wanted the maintenance liability iirc, it is a messed up structure.

 

[_urbanite]

As much I want this to go ahead, I have my doubts. Mainly because the bridge will either need a major rehab or outright replacement soon. Perhaps it makes more sense to just wait for this and roll this project into that?

Also if the bridge is outright replaced, I would love to see something similar to the Pat Tillman Memorial bridge constructed in its place if possible

 

[archited]

Hoovey, @Grandinite, Hoovey!

 

[_Citizen_Dane_]

The High Level Bridge was used by the CPR up until 1989, and in 1994 they ended up selling it to the City. However, the way I understand it is that when the CPR offloaded it they gave the right of way atop the bridge to the Province — who as far as I know — still retain it for a probably not going to happen high speed rail line. My personal speculation is that given the recent structural studies on the bridge, and it being unable to serve as an LRT crossing, the Province might just end up dumping its claim to the top if the City comes up with some use for it.

What makes the High Level’s case particularly interesting though is that bylaw stipulates it can’t be demolished. When it was designated a Municipal Historic Resource in 1995 by the City they forfeited its right to do that. Now obviously there are different structural and safety requirements for bridges than there are for buildings, and changes will need to be made to it to keep it safe, but it’s something that has to be taken into consideration. If the City were to demolish it and void the MHR designation, then it basically nullifies the whole program and the legal protection that's enshrined within it for historic sites, opening the floodgates for any private landowners to do the same.

Personally, if possible, I’d just like to see the City find out what girders and joints are in especially rough condition, and just simply replace as needed with new ones. But who knows what kind of cost that would entail.

 

[ronron]

How cool if the top of high level bridge develops it's own little micro economy with little shops and vendors? ?

 

[darwink]

How cool if the top of high level bridge develops it's own little micro economy with little shops and vendors? ?

Would be fun, but the lessons of bringing services into a bridge in Winnipeg to support businesses says that it will be expensive.

 

[OverheardatYEG]

I would love to see high speed rail coming from downtown through to Whyte ave then down to Calgary then off east or west that would be something cool!