Alexandra Bridge replacement | Planning Stage

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by acottawa

You think he is going to win a no car fight with PP?

Good point. Though cost savings could make it appealing in 2028. Or he wants the fight to set up his next political move.

[harls]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

My biggest takeaway from the article.

"Final approval in 2028

But the design of the bridge is only 15 per cent complete. A final design will return to the NCC board for approval in 2028. NCC CEO Tobi Nussbaum said there will be a chance to incorporate public feedback to improve the motion design."

I'm not even sure what that is supposed to mean.

Maybe the decrepit bridge will fall into the river by then.

[dougvdh]

Is 2028 even that crazy given the number of different approvals agencies / processes this project is going to have to go through?

There's 5 different governments plus the NCC. In some of those there's a number of different departments that get a kick (Environmental, Transportations). There's two public transit providers that probably get consultation. There's Indigenous groups. There's general public consult.

[Uhuniau]

One thing I haven't seen much attention to yet is a substitute way of crossing the river during the bridge replacement period.

This would be a good time for the various authorities to maybe really get serious, and even maybe a little silly and experimental, with regards to water taxis or other forms of transport and active use of the downtown river.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

One thing I haven't seen much attention to yet is a substitute way of crossing the river during the bridge replacement period.

This would be a good time for the various authorities to maybe really get serious, and even maybe a little silly and experimental, with regards to water taxis or other forms of transport and active use of the downtown river.

I seriously doubt they are going to do anything of the sort. It's a bit inconvenient for bikes and a lot inconvenient for pedestrians but it will be mostly ignored I expect.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

1. This typology of asymmetrical/skew arch is among the trendiest today. (see: Brasilia, LA's 6th Street Viaduct, Teeside Infinity Bridge, Bangladeshi examples Hatirjeel 2nd and 3rd and etc.)

I view this as a bad thing. Trends change quickly and something that looks trendy today will look dated in a decade. This is fine when decorating your home, but when building a bridge that is supposed to last a century, having a design that will spend 90% of its life looking dated isn't a good thing. I would prefer a timeless design over a trendy one.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by acottawa

You think he is going to win a no car fight with PP?

Off topic but its far from a sure thing that PP will win the next election. Sure he will try to make up mud to throw at whoever wins the Liberal leadership race, but outside those who lean heavily to the right, he isn't terribly well liked and was only winning polls because he was a better option than Trudeau (which isn't saying much). Election campains can take on a life of their own, and a fiscally conservative Liberal leader could (no gurantees) sway a lot of voters back. We could very well get a situation where the Conservatives get the most seats, but are unable to form a government. In that case the second place leader would then be asked if they can form a government.

Having said all of this, and getting back onto topic, I don't think 3 years is unreasonable to do the structural design and do the environmental analysis. You can't build a bridge from a artists rendition of what they think it might look like. You don't want this to happen:

• Video Link

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Very disappointed. This was my least favourite design due to the resemblance to the suburban Vimy Bridge. Bad enough we're losing the old Alexandra, but we're getting the blandest option as replacement.

Am I crazy to think I like the idea of the blandest option?

The Echo bridge looks to be 1/4 taller than the current bridge from the height of the deck. I feel like this one being low and understated allows the Museum, Nepeans point, National Gallery, Canal Locks, Parliament and Library etc to shine.

I would have preferred to see some type of synergy or parallel to the new foot bridge which is damn near built on top of it regardless of which style was chosen but what do I know. I'm just an old man who yells at clouds at this point.

I wish there was an option for a tram/LRT. I question if the arches and cables should be white. Curious what choices will be made for accent lighting.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

Am I crazy to think I like the idea of the blandest option?

The Echo bridge looks to be 1/4 taller than the current bridge from the height of the deck. I feel like this one being low and understated allows the Museum, Nepeans point, National Gallery, Canal Locks, Parliament and Library etc to shine.

I would have preferred to see some type of synergy or parallel to the new foot bridge which is damn near built on top of it regardless of which style was chosen but what do I know. I'm just an old man who yells at clouds at this point.

I wish there was an option for a tram/LRT. I question if the arches and cables should be white. Curious what choices will be made for accent lighting.

I know this is Ottawa, but why couldn't the bridge shine along wth the other features?

[Richard Eade]

At least we won’t be re-inventing the wheel with this bridge.
Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, Washington D.C.:

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I seriously doubt they are going to do anything of the sort. It's a bit inconvenient for bikes and a lot inconvenient for pedestrians but it will be mostly ignored I expect.

We don't have to let it be, though, especially not at a time when the NCC is actually, for once, doing something right in trying to re-orient its planning philosophy when it comes to the river.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by roger1818

Off topic but its far from a sure thing that PP will win the next election. Sure he will try to make up mud to throw at whoever wins the Liberal leadership race, but outside those who lean heavily to the right, he isn't terribly well liked and was only winning polls because he was a better option than Trudeau (which isn't saying much). Election campains can take on a life of their own, and a fiscally conservative Liberal leader could (no gurantees) sway a lot of voters back. We could very well get a situation where the Conservatives get the most seats, but are unable to form a government. In that case the second place leader would then be asked if they can form a government.

I can’t think of another time a party has gotten out of a 20 point deficit in 3 months. Usually when we talk about upsets or comebacks in politics it is a difference of a few points. For example, in the 2014 Ontario election (widely seen as a Wynne comeback) she picked up about 3 points and the Tories lost about 3 in the months leading up to the election. One pollster (Ekos) is showing a tightening race, while the others are not, but Ekos is also a robo pollster that has been very inaccurate in all federal elections.

[kmcamp]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

At least we won’t be re-inventing the wheel with this bridge.
Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, Washington D.C.:

Every time I'm in DC, it just feels like a bigger Ottawa. Same sorts of things, same museums but bigger, etc.

So makes sense it's the same bridge, but bigger (what is that, 6 lanes of traffic)?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by acottawa

One pollster (Ekos) is showing a tightening race, while the others are not, but Ekos is also a robo pollster that has been very inaccurate in all federal elections.

Mainstreet and Abacus are also showing something in their latest numbers that is consistent with what Frank Graves reported last week.

And no, Ekos has not been "very inaccurate in all federal elections". That's a CPC copium line.

[J.OT13]

• Video Link

[FutureWickedCity]

"Preferred" by nobody but the accountants

[phil235]

I really like the wide concourse with seating. It will be like an extension of the parks on either side.

[OTownandDown]

I can't remember, is there provision for a tram/train in future?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

I can't remember, is there provision for a tram/train in future?

There is a vague provision for "Two lanes for vehicle traffic (one in each direction) that could later be adapted for a high-capacity transit system".

I doubt that that means much more than running buses in mixed traffic.

[zzptichka]

Interesting, they managed to turn a naturally quiet 50kmh road into a speeding-friendly 80kmh one. Can see tourists dashing across to take pictures.