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Citing the impending need to perform a complete refurbishment of the 105-year-old High Level Bridge, Edmonton City Hall has kickstarted a fresh round of feasibility studies related to the future of historic span. The possibilities for the multi-purpose bridge — it currently accommodates heavy and light rail, vehicular traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians — offers ample opportunity for public consultation, discussion, and debate.
Viewed above, the 1912-built High Level Bridge, seen to the left of the 1992-built Dudley B. Menzies LRT Bridge, was originally constructed to accommodate a mix of uses: the top deck for heavy and light-rail, the lower deck for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. The Edmonton Radial Railway streetcar and interurban service ceased operations in 1951, followed by the end of heavy rail on behalf of the CPR in 1989, leaving the historic High Level Bridge Streetcar as the sole remaining user of the upper rail deck, but the lower vehicle/cycle/pedestrian deck has remained in constant use over the course of the last century.
In light of the recent installation of suicide-prevention barriers along the length of both the north and southbound outer cyclist/pedestrian lanes on the lower deck, many users have come to the conclusion that the new, much narrower, 2.8- and 2.2-metre paths are no longer serving their intended use, as they are equally inconvenient for cyclists and pedestrians alike. Add this concern to that of what to do with the currently under-utilized upper rail deck, which now runs just one track where three used to run side by side, and the question of what is to be done with the High Level Bridge becomes all the more complicated.
The upcoming study will take a look at the host of options available for the future of both the pedestrian/cycle paths and the rail deck. The main goal in each case is to get the best return on investment, and thus the maximum amount of public utility out of the bridge once repairs are completed during the upcoming refurbishment process that is coming due within the next 5-10 years. In terms of the pedestrian/cycling experience, there are two main options on the table, including widening each side to 4.2 metres, or segregating the two, with pedestrians left on the lower deck, while cyclists would be re-routed onto the upper deck.
While there are cases to be made for each option, transit boosters have been quick to point out the potential for a new light rail connection to be created on the upper rail deck, with the re-laying of the two outer tracks to allow for the construction of the long-discussed "Downtown Circulator" LRT loop that would reintroduce local LRT service to downtown Edmonton via the High Level Bridge. While this arrangement would in all likelihood preclude any plans to segregate pedestrians and cyclists via the lower and upper decks, the undeniable advantages of reincorporating the High Level Bridge into the city's light rail network cannot be ignored.
Complicating matters further, the Province of Alberta currently owns the heavy rail right-of-way that once existed along the upper deck, and murmurs of a future high-speed rail link between Edmonton and Calgary have prompted doubts that the City could use the upper deck for an LRT even if it was conclusively found to be in the public's best interest. In light of these concerns, the City has determined to give the Province 24 months to declare their intentions towards the right-of-way, after which time, the City would be in the clear to alter the bridge to whatever ends necessary, including LRT use.
By no means a simple task, deciding upon the future of the High Level Bridge will be a process of years, not months. The public study and consultation process that will begin this spring will be but the first in a long series of discussions related to the fate of one of Edmonton's most famous pieces of infrastructure.
SkyriseEdmonton will be sure to return to this file as the story continues to develop. For now, let us know what you think should be done with the High Level Bridge in the comments section below!
