Peace Bridge | 131 Meter Span | Completed

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

World Architecture News got back to me and has placed my name on my photos and was very apologetic and complementary. I very much appreciate them responding promptly to my request.

That's good to hear. I quite like that site, they showcase a lot of great projects from all over the world.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

Don't worry - KW thinks he's more important on this forum than he actually is. Keep posting your thoughts.

That's me! So much more important in my own little head, but in reality, just an insignificant lil' autocad and 3D monkey.

[Bigtime]

This made me laugh:

http://blogs.mtroyal.ca/afedoruk/201...ridge-refunds/

[AUM]

^^^

That is awesome...lol!

[lineman]

I've used the bridge twice so far and see that it's being almost as well-used as the Princes Island bridge. I also find it a much better cycle route than the LRT bridge.

[nick.flood]

delete

[freeweed]

Random post. Appreciate the photos and comments, folks. I'm out of town (yet again) so wasn't able to attend the opening and haven't been able to be (officially) on the bridge yet. Amazing turnout. Simply amazing. Considering this bridge is arguably one of the most controversial projects in the past decade in Calgary, I can't believe we had what looked like several thousand people attending.

Also, I find it semi-ironically amusing the level of vitriol spewed by several forumers on this very thread. Except instead of irony, it's more... very apropos.

And I'm a tiny bit surprised it held up with that much weight on it. I smell a highly over-engineered load, considering the fun with the welds. Probably for the best given the huge crowd.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by shreddog

...Funny thing is tonight I have a "date" with a friend from Vancouver who is coming here on business today. She said we could go anywhere as long "as we walked across that new bridge!". Now she certainly didn't book a trip here just to see the bridge, but in all her previous trips here she has never once asked to see any other bridge!

So we did get a chance to stroll along the river and over the bridge Monday night and my friend from Van loved it. The funny thing is she is heavy in fashion (runs the retail division for a high end women's fashion house) so not a bridge/skyscraper nerd, but we meandered on the bridge. Walked back and forth. Stopped to admire the view of the city and the bridge itself - along with dozens of others on the bridge. No doubt there is a novelty aspect as it still it new, but I've known her for nearly 30 years and I've never seen her appreciated "infrastructure" before. As she used to live in London she asked me about that "millenium bridge" and how it related to this since she thought this bridge was much more engaging.

Later on as we were walking towards Kensington, I was almost embarrased when we walked by the C-train underpass. While still an adequate bridge, I still can't get over how small, cramped and ghetto it now feels!

While this is only one anecotal expereince, it does represent a turning point - IMHO. Cities worth living in need to have things worth exploring. I think the PB has now entered that realm.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Random post. Appreciate the photos and comments, folks. I'm out of town (yet again) so wasn't able to attend the opening and haven't been able to be (officially) on the bridge yet. Amazing turnout. Simply amazing. Considering this bridge is arguably one of the most controversial projects in the past decade in Calgary, I can't believe we had what looked like several thousand people attending.

Also, I find it semi-ironically amusing the level of vitriol spewed by several forumers on this very thread. Except instead of irony, it's more... very apropos.

And I'm a tiny bit surprised it held up with that much weight on it. I smell a highly over-engineered load, considering the fun with the welds. Probably for the best given the huge crowd.

You have to design a pedestrian bridge to withstand a packed bridge of people marching, and that's quite the live load. 100 pounds per square foot, plus a safety margin - that's what I think it would be. It takes people standing shoulder to shoulder over the entire bridge to reach that limit.

[Bigtime]

So apparently the city and bylaw have been by this morning to put up "crosswalk closed" signs on 8th street and have a bylaw officer near the bridge to ticket offenders.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

So apparently the city and bylaw have been by this morning to put up "crosswalk closed" signs on 8th street and have a bylaw officer near the bridge to ticket offenders.

Sounds like a lot of work, couldn't they have just put up "Bridge Closed" signs at each end of the bridge? That would solve the crosswalk problem too.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

So apparently the city and bylaw have been by this morning to put up "crosswalk closed" signs on 8th street and have a bylaw officer near the bridge to ticket offenders.

Oh Calgary.....................why cant you be more like Winnipeg and let people cross where they want? I smell another a chain link fence coming!

[Elbownian]

Alternatively, they could start ticketing the drivers for failing to stop for pedestrians at a legal crossing. Not saying hordes of people crossing at an uncontrolled point of Memorial is necessarily wise, but still, gotta get up on my pedestrian rights soapbox here!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by kw5150

Oh Calgary.....................why cant you be more like Winnipeg and let people cross where they want? I smell another a chain link fence coming!

Portage and Main would like a word with you.

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by shreddog

So we did get a chance to stroll along the river and over the bridge Monday night and my friend from Van loved it. The funny thing is she is heavy in fashion (runs the retail division for a high end women's fashion house) so not a bridge/skyscraper nerd, but we meandered on the bridge. Walked back and forth. Stopped to admire the view of the city and the bridge itself - along with dozens of others on the bridge. No doubt there is a novelty aspect as it still it new, but I've known her for nearly 30 years and I've never seen her appreciated "infrastructure" before. As she used to live in London she asked me about that "millenium bridge" and how it related to this since she thought this bridge was much more engaging.

Later on as we were walking towards Kensington, I was almost embarrased when we walked by the C-train underpass. While still an adequate bridge, I still can't get over how small, cramped and ghetto it now feels!

While this is only one anecotal expereince, it does represent a turning point - IMHO. Cities worth living in need to have things worth exploring. I think the PB has now entered that realm.

I dated a girl once who was in constant appreciation of my infrastructure


courtesy of someecards.com greatest site in the world....after SSP.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Portage and Main would like a word with you.

You could still jaywalk if you wanted at portage and main and no one would even blink. You might die if you jump over the jersey barrier and find a 10 foot drop down a set of stairs though......... I may have almost found that out the hard way, but I thank snowboarding for giving me extreme stability.

Background Story:

Late night, no one on roads; tried to dash across portage, jumped up on jersey barrier (which was a custom height of 1100mm (guardrail height)); and was surprised to find that there was a 10 foot drop with a set of stairs behind; and there I was teetering on the edge with my arms waving around (like I was in my car rolling down both windows at the same time) and luckily I did not fall. Close call.

[O-tacular]

Already posted in the construction thread but this seems a more appropriate place. Forgive the dbl posting.

Walked across the Peace Bridge yesterday, and jaywalked Memorial on the way. All I can say is that this project is a game changer. Everything about it is a new experience in this city. It was incredible to be able to stop halfway and watch the river flow un-obstructed beneath you. Only thing that made me nervous was how easily one could potentially go over the side rail. Not so sure it would be high enough to kill you, but drowning would be an unpleasant end.

Also, anyone who claims it's right beside the Louise bridge has obviously only ever driven that distance. It's about 2 city blocks away. A considerable distance for any pedestrian or cyclist. I must admit it was surprising to me how far away it actually was considering my impression before hand. Maybe I confused the staging area during construction for the final site.

Oh, and I showed my normally uninterested wife photos from yesterday and now she wants to check it out. Said it looked futuristic and like it was hovering.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by kw5150

You could still jaywalk if you wanted at portage and main and no one would even blink. You might die if you jump over the jersey barrier and find a 10 foot drop down a set of stairs though......... I may have almost found that out the hard way, but I thank snowboarding for giving me extreme stability.

Background Story:

Late night, no one on roads; tried to dash across portage, jumped up on jersey barrier (which was a custom height of 1100mm (guardrail height)); and was surprised to find that there was a 10 foot drop with a set of stairs behind; and there I was teetering on the edge with my arms waving around (like I was in my car rolling down both windows at the same time) and luckily I did not fall. Close call.

Between that and some of your other SSP posts, I'd like to recognize your contributions to humanity with an Honorary Darwin Award.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by suburbia

Between that and some of your other SSP posts, I'd like to recognize your contributions to humanity with an Honorary Darwin Award.

Thanks, I'll put this on the shelf with the rest of them.

[Innersoul1]

Getting down to the nitty gritty. I am wondering now that the PB is open does anyone think that there needs to be better signage indicating where the bike lane is versus the pedestrian lanes?