Chief William Commanda Bridge (former Prince of Wales Bridge)

[zzptichka]

Jumped the fence yesterday for a walk, the Ontario half was plowed. Might be for the workers though, mandated by the Union. Too bad Ottawa citizen's union aka City Council is failing them.

[SidetrackedSue]

Thanks for renaming the thread.

Hopefully, you'll get to rename it back in the next month or two!

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Jumped the fence yesterday for a walk, the Ontario half was plowed. Might be for the workers though, mandated by the Union. Too bad Ottawa citizen's union aka City Council is failing them.

What would happen to a person if, theoretically, they accidentally fell over the first fence, and then the second fence, and then had to walk off their clutziness injuries from falling over so many fences?

[VANRIDERFAN]

So is this city that incompetent that they could not of left the bridge open during the past month of no snow?
The public works dept must be a toxic workplace that they cannot put up or take down a portable fence within a couple of hours and coordinate with Gatineau to do the same on the other side.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

So is this city that incompetent that they could not of left the bridge open during the past month of no snow?
The public works dept must be a toxic workplace that they cannot put up or take down a portable fence within a couple of hours and coordinate with Gatineau to do the same on the other side.

Public washrooms are closed and locked in parks, portapotties are gone in other parks, this bridge is closed, many staircases and pathways are closed...this city only cares for people going outdoors in three seasons. It's kind of a joke considering the climate these days.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Public washrooms are closed and locked in parks, portapotties are gone in other parks, this bridge is closed, many staircases and pathways are closed...this city only cares for people going outdoors in three seasons. It's kind of a joke considering the climate these days.

The city is of the mindset that it's the winter of 1812/13 and everyone is hunkered down in their shelters in survival mode.

[lrt's friend]

This is Ottawa and it is normally a frozen winter wonderland. There are certain things that cannot be easily maintained over winter. Everything has a cost and a benefit. When the cost goes up in winter and the benefit declines, some tough decisions have to be made. Otherwise, more important infrastructure will not be maintained as well. Exactly, who is going to use a frozen port-a-potty?

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

This is Ottawa and it is normally a frozen winter wonderland. There are certain things that cannot be easily maintained over winter. Everything has a cost and a benefit. When the cost goes up in winter and the benefit declines, some tough decisions have to made. Otherwise, more important infrastructure will not be maintained as well. Exactly, who is going to use a frozen port-a-potty?

All valid points. But due to the good weather so far, the city could be more proactive in keeping infrastructure like the Commanda Bridge open as weather conditions permit. From my perspective there appears to be zero flexibility in this city.

[Uhuniau]

I keep thinking the official opening got forced in a hurry after some petty vandal slash model citizen opened the fence on the Quebec side in July.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

This is Ottawa and it is normally a frozen winter wonderland. There are certain things that cannot be easily maintained over winter. Everything has a cost and a benefit. When the cost goes up in winter and the benefit declines, some tough decisions have to made. Otherwise, more important infrastructure will not be maintained as well. Exactly, who is going to use a frozen port-a-potty?

Given where climate change is heading, they might want to reconsider their policies and lack of flexibility.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Given where climate change is heading, they might want to reconsider their policies and lack of flexibility.

Flexibility in government or any big organization is difficult to achieve. When it comes to closing bridges and stairways etc., there is some preparation and scheduling needed. This is usually done weeks in advance. How do we know when the first big blizzard will hit? We don't, regardless of climate change. We certainly don't want to have the bridge open and have someone slip under something into a fast moving Ottawa River like what happened in Quebec just recently. We can compare this to getting snow tires on our cars. The same logic would mean, why do we need snow tires on our car this winter? Look at the weather. Then we get two feet of snow next week, and wonder why we can't get an appointment to change the tires the day before, when everybody else is doing the same thing in a mad panic?

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Flexibility in government or any big organization is difficult to achieve. When it comes to closing bridges and stairways etc., there is some preparation and scheduling needed. This is usually done weeks in advance. How do we know when the first big blizzard will hit? We don't, regardless of climate change. We certainly don't want to have the bridge open and have someone slip under something into a fast moving Ottawa River like what happened in Quebec just recently. We can compare this to getting snow tires on our cars. The same logic would mean, why do we need snow tires on our car this winter? Look at the weather. Then we get two feet of snow next week, and wonder why we can't get an appointment to change the tires the day before, when everybody else is doing the same thing in a mad panic?

So you mean people should be allowed to use the bridge in the winter, like they are allowed on the roads in Ontario without winter tires? Okay.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

So you mean people should be allowed to use the bridge in the winter, like they are allowed on the roads in Ontario without winter tires? Okay.

No, that is not the comparison at all. The comparison is the time required to adjust schedules.

We have closed the bridge because it might not be safe to have it open all winter but look at the weather, we don't need to close it. But if a major blizzard came, how do we close it quickly? The same with snow tires. We planned to get snow tires but look at the weather. Then that same blizzard is forecast, and you try to get the snows on in a panic, but no appointments are available.

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

No, that is not the comparison at all. The comparison is the time required to adjust schedules.

We have closed the bridge because it might not be safe to have it open all winter but look at the weather, we don't need to close it. But if a major blizzard came, how do we close it quickly? The same with snow tires. We planned to get snow tires but look at the weather. Then that same blizzard is forecast, and you try to get the snows on in a panic, but no appointments are available.

I'm sorry but I don't see how a major snow storm in any way affects the risk of someone somehow sliding underneath (or overtop?) the railing and into the river. Someone in another thread used the term "concern trolling" and I think that describes this debate, and many others, perfectly. Just open the damn bridge, it's not that difficult. It gets mentioned all the time but it's truly pathetic how a city that's known for winter struggles so hard to handle winter.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

No, that is not the comparison at all. The comparison is the time required to adjust schedules.

We have closed the bridge because it might not be safe to have it open all winter but look at the weather, we don't need to close it. But if a major blizzard came, how do we close it quickly? The same with snow tires. We planned to get snow tires but look at the weather. Then that same blizzard is forecast, and you try to get the snows on in a panic, but no appointments are available.

Blizzards are forecast days in advance. They could install gates to make the closing easier.

Having an arbitrary schedule of when winter starts makes little sense given how much the weather fluctuates from year to year.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

So is this city that incompetent that they could not of left the bridge open during the past month of no snow?
The public works dept must be a toxic workplace that they cannot put up or take down a portable fence within a couple of hours and coordinate with Gatineau to do the same on the other side.

I don't think it's some staffer at the Works Dept. It's the default response to say no in this city to anything that doesn't involve driving. And if it costs more than $1? It's even easier to justify refusal.

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

I'm sorry but I don't see how a major snow storm in any way affects the risk of someone somehow sliding underneath (or overtop?) the railing and into the river. Someone in another thread used the term "concern trolling" and I think that describes this debate, and many others, perfectly. Just open the damn bridge, it's not that difficult. It gets mentioned all the time but it's truly pathetic how a city that's known for winter struggles so hard to handle winter.

Suburbanites will think of any excuse to oppose walking. Not just for them. But for others too. That's how car brain works.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

All valid points. But due to the good weather so far, the city could be more proactive in keeping infrastructure like the Commanda Bridge open as weather conditions permit. From my perspective there appears to be zero flexibility in this city.

Once again there is a cost to continuously opening and closing infrastructure based on that day's weather. It is far easier (and cheaper) to close it once and keep it closed as a scheduled activity, rather than redirecting workers based on a last minute change in weather forecast (possibly having to call them in on their day off). I agree that it would have been nice if they had designed it so that it could have been kept open year round, but with the current design, this is the most cost effective solution.

It is amazing how people think that money just grows on trees.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Once again there is a cost to continuously opening and closing infrastructure based on that day's weather. It is far easier (and cheaper) to close it once and keep it closed as a scheduled activity, rather than redirecting workers based on a last minute change in weather forecast (possibly having to call them in on their day off). I agree that it would have been nice if they had designed it so that it could have been kept open year round, but with the current design, this is the most cost effective solution.

It is amazing how people think that money just grows on trees.

Or they could tell the maintenance team at the water treatment plant that if there is a major winter storm coming to close the gates.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Once again there is a cost to continuously opening and closing infrastructure based on that day's weather. It is far easier (and cheaper) to close it once and keep it closed as a scheduled activity, rather than redirecting workers based on a last minute change in weather forecast (possibly having to call them in on their day off). I agree that it would have been nice if they had designed it so that it could have been kept open year round, but with the current design, this is the most cost effective solution.

It is amazing how people think that money just grows on trees.

Here`s a thought, install gates on either side of the bridge. Shut them when the weather is inconvenient. Heck you could make the gates operate remotely and have a person at the operations center open and close when required. If there is a sudden unaccounted for snowstorm and gates are not closeable then send the PW person to clear the bit of snow.

This country is full of important people whose responses to issues are as follows:

It`ll cost money
It`s too hard
Somebody will get hurt
Somebody will sue the city
Not my problem
It`s another level of government`s problem
Not my pay grade

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Here`s a thought, install gates on either side of the bridge. Shut them when the weather is inconvenient. Heck you could make the gates operate remotely and have a person at the operations center open and close when required. If there is a sudden unaccounted for snowstorm and gates are not closeable then send the PW person to clear the bit of snow.

This country is full of important people whose responses to issues are as follows:

It`ll cost money
It`s too hard
Somebody will get hurt
Somebody will sue the city
Not my problem
It`s another level of government`s problem
Not my pay grade

Rather than going to the trouble to design an automated gate (or paying people to open and close the bridge multiple times a year on a moments notice, regardless of if its part of their job description or not), I would rather see that money go towards making it usable all year long.