Pedestrian Bridges

[Gat-Train]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

This is a surprisingly big structure. It is going up right next to where my grandfather grew up. Quite a change from those days when cows used to walk down the bank of the canal to drink.

Seems like a good way to poison your cows

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

So where it was proposed by the winning design team who's concept was value engineered to death?


https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/.../#.XPhy-chKjDc

What was the logic behind the selection of this location? I'd say the current bridge location makes more sense, since it is approximately halfway between Bank and Pretoria bridges. The one originally proposed here is only 500 metres from the Bank Street bridge, which is rather redundant.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

What was the logic behind the selection of this location? I'd say the current bridge location makes more sense, since it is approximately halfway between Bank and Pretoria bridges. The one originally proposed here is only 500 metres from the Bank Street bridge, which is rather redundant.

Every submission that had a pedestrian bridge placed it at the same spot. Might have been directed by the City as part of the competition?

https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/.../#.XP6VaflJHcu

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

The one originally proposed here is only 500 metres from the Bank Street bridge, which is rather redundant.

True, except that the Bank St. bridge is terrible for cyclists and not ideal for pedestrians (narrow sidewalks and lots of traffic). There is still a glaring need for a north-south cycling bridge. The Lansdowne location would have been a little bit better for that.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Every submission that had a pedestrian bridge placed it at the same spot. Might have been directed by the City as part of the competition?

https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/.../#.XP6VaflJHcu

Don't think so, but it had to be in the area included in the competition. The park between Fifth and the Lansdowne entrance was excluded from the design at the behest of neighbourhood types, so the location options were limited.

Also, if I recall correctly, there was some connection with the small island in the canal at that location.

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Every submission that had a pedestrian bridge placed it at the same spot. Might have been directed by the City as part of the competition?

https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/.../#.XP6VaflJHcu

Ahh okay, that would make sense. I don't think it's a bad location by any means, just that the location of the bridge now makes sense to connect with Old Ottawa East, especially with the Greystone development coming online shortly.

Originally Posted by phil235

True, except that the Bank St. bridge is terrible for cyclists and not ideal for pedestrians (narrow sidewalks and lots of traffic). There is still a glaring need for a north-south cycling bridge. The Lansdowne location would have been a little bit better for that.

I won't disagree with how bad that bridge is for those users. It's brutal and terrifying to bike across during rush hour. I think a N/S bridge would still be beneficial, but think prioritizing the bridge at Clegg was more important, due to the connectivity it provides.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by phil235

True, except that the Bank St. bridge is terrible for cyclists and not ideal for pedestrians (narrow sidewalks and lots of traffic). There is still a glaring need for a north-south cycling bridge. The Lansdowne location would have been a little bit better for that.

Locating a pedestrian/cycling bridge anywhere near the Bank Street bridge is going to be problematic simply because of the elevation difference between the north and south sides of the Rideau Canal. I think making the cycling connection via Fifth-Clegg Bridge, Echo Drive and Riverdale will be more effective and not require cycling over a steep incline.

I would rather see the next investment placing a pedestrian/cycling bridge near Billings Bridge particularly to connect into the Sawmill Creek pathway network, which will eventually link to Leitrim and Riverside South as part of the Trillium Line project. In other words, a very extensive area will be served by a totally segregated trail and bypass Billings Bridge, which is also very inadequate for cycling.

If we were to build another bridge across the canal, it should be nearer Bronson, where the elevations on both sides are similar, the canal narrower, and the bridge itself would be technically easier to build than the bridge that was originally proposed as part of the Lansdowne project.

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Locating a pedestrian/cycling bridge anywhere near the Bank Street bridge is going to be problematic simply because of the elevation difference between the north and south sides of the Rideau Canal. I think making the cycling connection via Fifth-Clegg Bridge, Echo Drive and Riverdale will be more effective and not require cycling over a steep incline.

The high elevation of the Echo / Riverdale area actually works to a ped bridge's advantage because the bridge doesn't need a berm or structure to raise high over the Rideau Canal (a navigable waterway) - see the west side of the Corktown Bridge for how a high elevation on one side of the Rideau Canal helped implementation of that bridge.

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I would rather see the next investment placing a pedestrian/cycling bridge near Billings Bridge particularly to connect into the Sawmill Creek pathway network, which will eventually link to Leitrim and Riverside South as part of the Trillium Line project. In other words, a very extensive area will be served by a totally segregated trail and bypass Billings Bridge, which is also very inadequate for cycling.

If we were to build another bridge across the canal, it should be nearer Bronson, where the elevations on both sides are similar, the canal narrower, and the bridge itself would be technically easier to build than the bridge that was originally proposed as part of the Lansdowne project.

Like so?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Multi-modal

The high elevation of the Echo / Riverdale area actually works to a ped bridge's advantage because the bridge doesn't need a berm or structure to raise high over the Rideau Canal (a navigable waterway) - see the west side of the Corktown Bridge for how a high elevation on one side of the Rideau Canal helped implementation of that bridge.



Like so?

Yep!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

Ahh okay, that would make sense. I don't think it's a bad location by any means, just that the location of the bridge now makes sense to connect with Old Ottawa East, especially with the Greystone development coming online shortly.

I won't disagree with how bad that bridge is for those users. It's brutal and terrifying to bike across during rush hour. I think a N/S bridge would still be beneficial, but think prioritizing the bridge at Clegg was more important, due to the connectivity it provides.

Hadn't considered Greystone. Good direct route to the Glebe and Lansdowne for an area that will soon be quite dense.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

If we were to build another bridge across the canal, it should be nearer Bronson, where the elevations on both sides are similar, the canal narrower, and the bridge itself would be technically easier to build than the bridge that was originally proposed as part of the Lansdowne project.

Just based on density, proximity to more employment and current modal shares, I would put one between the Glebe and Old Ottawa South first. I agree that one near Bronson makes sense, but the City probably wants to connect to the O'Connor bike lane first, in which case Bank makes more sense.

Personally I'd prefer one up Percy/Craig in the Glebe, down Seneca in Old Ottawa South and then connecting as you both suggest.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Why oh why did they not design this bridge with a flat centre span instead of having an awkward peak that is not even midpoint? Or better yet, a nice graceful curve between the spandrels. That one small detail could have turned this bridge into a work of art instead of a clunky piece of engineering.

It's been bothering me as well.
Someone on twitter said it's because one of the NIMBYs threatened to sue for ruining their view, so they had to compromise. I can't even

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by phil235

I agree that one near Bronson makes sense, but the City probably wants to connect to the O'Connor bike lane first, in which case Bank makes more sense.

The City of Ottawa apparently thinks - in the short term - that the Flora Footbridge functions as the north-south connection to the O'Connor bike lane, as illustrated by Cross-town Bikeway #5 in geoOttawa

[Multi-modal]

I do see a lot of merit in the Percy-Craig-Seneca-Data Centre-Sawmill Creek alignment, but I think there is value to have the next ped/cycling bridge continue the east-west axis of 5th and Clegg eastward to the pathways around Hurdman:



Also, with a bridge over the Rideau River @ the Trillium Line to be packaged with Stage 2, I'd like to see a direct connection through Carleton to the Trillium Pathway north of the Rideau Canal. The Carleton locks would serve this purpose in the near-term, but they are very crowded on busy days.



Lots of opportunities for new ped bridges! We'll see what the new TMP has in store...

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Multi-modal

Also, with a bridge over the Rideau River @ the Trillium Line to be packaged with Stage 2, I'd like to see a direct connection through Carleton to the Trillium Pathway north of the Rideau Canal. The Carleton locks would serve this purpose in the near-term, but they are very crowded on busy days.

That bridge near Dow's Lake would be too expensive given it would have to have high clearance to let those luxury boats through. One of the reasons why Fifth-Clegg bridge is so expensive and has those monster ramps on each bank adding a hundred meters/hundred steps to each crossing.

[Multi-modal]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

That bridge near Dow's Lake would be too expensive given it would have to have high clearance to let those luxury boats through. One of the reasons why Fifth-Clegg bridge is so expensive and has those monster ramps on each bank adding a hundred meters/hundred steps to each crossing.

True. Bridges over the Rideau River (at Data Centre/Seneca and Clegg) would be easier and cheaper to implement as they just have to be above flood levels.

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by Multi-modal

I do see a lot of merit in the Percy-Craig-Seneca-Data Centre-Sawmill Creek alignment, but I think there is value to have the next ped/cycling bridge continue the east-west axis of 5th and Clegg eastward to the pathways around Hurdman:



Lots of opportunities for new ped bridges! We'll see what the new TMP has in store...

This one seems to be a logical next step once the Fifth / Clegg bridge is finished. Depending on your exact location in Old Ottawa East (and the pathway connections on the east side of Rideau River), that would actually make Hurdman Station closer than Lees Station (~1.1 km vs ~1.5 km from the intersection of Main / Clegg)

Edit to add that this would make Hurdman LRT station a comparable distance to Lansdowne as the downtown Confederation Line stations (not that I really think there will be many people willing to walk almost 3 km to Lansdowne after taking LRT).

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Multi-modal

The City of Ottawa apparently thinks - in the short term - that the Flora Footbridge functions as the north-south connection to the O'Connor bike lane, as illustrated by Cross-town Bikeway #5 in geoOttawa

Doesn't surprise me. I wonder if any cyclist will actually take that route heading south. Riverdale to Bank doesn't come to mind when I think of bike-friendly routes.

[McC]

Originally Posted by phil235

Riverdale to Bank doesn't come to mind when I think of bike-friendly routes.

I think I would use Avenue Road down to Windsor Park and then follow the River to Billing Bridge, if I was heading that way.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by McC

I think I would use Avenue Road down to Windsor Park and then follow the River to Billing Bridge, if I was heading that way.

I'd do the same. That path would need some upgrades to be a proper commuting route.