The famous bridge in Edmonton has spectacular architecture. Bridges join the societies of one area to the other. These play a vital role in connection with transportation.
Bridges can also be ranked within the city or nationally. But, it takes many topics to examine when it comes to ranking the bridges. There is proper planning and schedule for the construction of the bridges. Still, due to some reasons, most of the time, the construction work gets obstructed. It results in a penalty to the contractors.
The bridges in Edmonton are famous heritage landmarks. Most of the bridges are built across the North Saskatchewan River Valley. There are many types of bridges in Edmonton. Many of them are pedestrians that also serve cyclists. However, rest bridges serve the great motor traffic of motorbikes, cars, trucks, etc. Also, bridges in Edmonton contribute to the numerous bridges in the state of Alberta.
Despite delays, the design and architecture play an important role in ranking, too. These are also awarded for best designs, which are built by considering the volume, traffic, and many other aspects. We will study the famous bridges in Edmonton that have connected the hearts over the decades.
1. Famous Bridge In Edmonton – 13 Bridges To Watch!
There are lots of famous bridges in Edmonton. Following are the thirteen famous bridges in Edmonton to watch.
1.1. James MacDonald Bridge
The James MacDonald Bridge is situated in the city of Edmonton. It crosses the North Saskatchewan River, which is positioned in Edmonton and resides in Alberta, Canada. The manufacturing of the bridge was started in the early 1960s. However, it was finished in the month of October 1971.
Further, the name of the bridge is inspired by James MacDonald. He was the engineer of the city. The structure of the bridge is sketched in such a way that it carries five Westbound Collector Lanes. These lanes stretch from the south of the downtown freeway loop. It is conceived similarly in the design study of “METS.”
Firstly, it shows the overbuilt appearance of the bridge over the North Saskatchewan River to the east. Secondly, it also shows the truncated appearance at the east end of the bridge’s ramp. Initially, many of the alignments of ramp connectors were planned to be temporary at the time of construction. But they are still serving in its primary state.
However, the project had not been extended to its ultimate construction phase. Otherwise, there would be 3 more spans erected in the same location. Those were all planned to be on the southern fringe of the existing one. Upon its completion, the 3-level clover stack interchange occupied the whole area to the east end of the bridge.
Meanwhile, the bridge now mainly links Rossdale communities to the west and Cloverdale communities to the east end. It has six lanes for motor vehicles and pedestrians. The bridge has an entire length of 359.7 meters. Also, the bridge was opened to the public on October 11, 1971.
1.2. Walterdale Bridge
The Walterdale Bridge is situated over the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a through-arch bridge that replaced the Walterdale Bridge in the year 2017. This new bridge has been upgraded for cyclist and pedestrian crossings. Also, for vehicular traffic, there are 3 lanes from northbound.
The past Walterdale Bridge was a truss bridge that had steel-grating decked. Initially, it was known as the 105 Street Bridge. However, this bridge was renamed in the year 1967. Further, the bridge was constructed by the Dominion Bridge Company in 1913.
Moreover, the name of the bridge was inspired by an early settler, John Walter. He was known to run a ferry around this location. There is a neighborhood named Walterdale, named after John Walter. The demolition of this previous bridge, 1913, was started in the month of October 2017. Afterward, the utilities, sidewalks, and decking were removed from here.
Even before the new construction work was started in 2017, the planning was started over a decade ago. A proposal was petitioned for directly linking the bridge to Gateway Boulevard by a tunnel. The proposal cost 190 million dollars. So, it was rejected.
Further, the planners of the bridge considered to main things of the bridge. Firstly, a 5-lane bridge with only one lane to southbound. Secondly, a one-way bridge of four lanes was considered together. It was built to connect the bridge to Kinsmen Park. The replacement construction work was started in the year 2013. However, it was scheduled to be finished at the end of 2015. Finally, it was established on September 29, 2017.
1.3. Fort Edmonton Footbridge
The Fort Edmonton Footbridge is also built over the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a pedestrian bridge and also for bicyclists, led by CH2M Hill. The HFKS Architects designed this bridge. However, it is the first suspension bridge in Edmonton.
Furthermore, this bridge is situated to the southwest of Fort Edmonton Park. Also, it joins the multi-use trail system that is already in use with the new parkland. It was officially started for the public on June 18, 2011. The bridge is built with concrete material. Further, the bridge has 3 spans and 2 piers in water.
The entire length of the bridge is 246 meters, and it is five meters wide. Meanwhile, the longest span of the bridge is 138 meters long. Further, the construction of the bridge was begun in August 2008. While the construction ended in November 2010.
1.4. Dawson Bridge
The Dawson Bridge is across the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a two-lane bridge. This bridge was under rehabilitation in early 2010. On December 20, 2010, the bridge was reopened.
The bridge joins the societies of Riverdale to the West and Forest Heights to the East. It’s a pedestrian bridge that also carries motor vehicles. Also, the total length of the bridge is 236.5 meters. While it is 12.5 meters wide. However, the bridge was officially started for the public in the year of 1912.
1.5. High-Level Bridge of Edmonton
The High-Level Bridge of Edmonton is situated in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It spans over the North Saskatchewan River. This bridge is mainly located beside the Alberta Legislature Building. Further, the High-Level Bridge connects the societies of Strathcona and Edmonton. The Strathcona was designated as a city in the year 1912.
Initially, It was designed to assist pedestrian, street car, two-way automobile, and rail traffic. The design of the former bridge was comprised of three parts. Firstly, it had 2 outer tracks built for the street cars. Secondly, there were 3 tracks on the top deck. Lastly, it had a middle track made for the CPR trains.
John Gunn and Sons of Winnipeg constructed this bridge. They were known to construct past bridges of CPR – Canadian Pacific Railway. When the project was on its high, there were more than 500 people were working. However, four men died at the time of the bridge’s construction work. In October 1912, about fifty steel workers went on strike. They demanded a wage of 50 cents for 9 hours of work rather than 10 hours of work for 45 cents.
In May 1913, the upper deck of the bridge was accomplished. On June 2, 1913, the 1st CPR train that had two hundred passengers and 7 cars operated. Afterward, the bridge became the main line of the Calgary-Edmonton part. No public ceremony was held to memorize the beginning of the train services over the bridge.
Later, several modifications were made to upgrade the bridge out of necessity. It has entirely 28 spans.
1.6.Terwillegar Park Footbridge
The Terwillegar Park Footbridge is built over the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a pedestrian bridge with an entire length of 262 meters. This is the famous bridge in Edmonton with many tags.
Firstly, it is the most extended stressed ribbon bridge in the entire Canada. Secondly, it is the second prolonged stressed ribbon bridge in the world. However, the world’s first longest bridge is the David Kreitzer Lake Hodges Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge. It is in terms of the longest stressed ribbon bridge. Moreover, this bridge is located in Escondido, California, United States.
This bridge was the 1st bridge in Edmonton. Officially, it was constructed to link Oleskiw River Valley Park to the North and Terwillegar Park to the South of the river. Further, it was started on October 21, 2016. There are eighty-six precast deck panels on the surface of the bridge.
Each of the precast deck panels is 5.3 meters wide and 2.64 meters long. The one-hundred sixty-two individual cables are holding these panels. These are fastened on both sides of the bridge. This bridge cost about 24.5 million Canadian dollars. It is managed by the City of Edmonton.
The bridge is made of concrete material and is 262 meters long. Also, the number of spans it has is 3, with 2 piers in the water. Stantec was the designer of the bridge. Further, the construction of the bridge was started in the month of August 2014.
1.7. Low-Level Bridge
The Low-Level Bridge also spans across the North Saskatchewan River, which is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This was the 1st bridge built over the North Saskatchewan River. However, the work was finished in the year 1900. Initially, the bridge was designed to accommodate a railway. Meanwhile, a railway track was constructed in the year 1902.
This railway track was made for the Yukon, Pacific, and Edmonton railways. From 1908 to 1939, the streetcars used this bridge on the gauntlet track. After the removal of the gauntlet track, the Edmonton Trolley Bus System’s trolley buses used this bridge. The trolley buses used it from 1939 to 1965.
Initially, the bridge was called the Edmonton Bridge. Also, it was known as the Inter-Urban Bridge. After the accomplishment of the High-Level Bridge, this bridge was renamed as the Low-Level Bridge. A twin span was added of the same design upstream of the former span in 1948.
In the beginning, this new span was used for assisting vehicle traffic in both directions. Meanwhile, the former span was conserved for the use of the Railway. In 1954, the railway track was discarded from the former span of the bridge. Later, this bridge was broadened to serve the westbound traffic’s two lanes.
Since the former span of the bridge was broadened, all traffic eastbound is carried by the bridge of 1948. Meanwhile, the new Low-Level Bridge links the societies of Rossdale to the North and Cloverdale to the South. It has the sum of 4 spans and 3 piers in water. However, it is designed through the Pratt Truss.
1.8. Groat Bridge
The Groat Bridge spans over the long North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Further, the bridge is a Groat Road’s part. Technically, the bridge is comprised of 2 spans. These spans are manufactured on both sides of the bridge. However, the bridge’s former architecture was reinstalled in 1990.
Also, it was renewed again in 2020. The rehabilitation of the 2020 year cost 48 million dollars. Further, the decks of both spans were placed on the previous piers. One side of the decks was replaced at a time. It featured an extension on the shared-use path’s decks to the bridge’s eastern side.
This bridge links societies of River Valley Glenora to the North and River Valley Mayfair to the south end of the bridge. It’s a pedestrian bridge that also passes motor vehicles. Initially, the bridge was begun to the public in 1955. Also, it is 315.5 meters long in its length.
1.9. Capilano Bridge
The Capilano Bridge also crosses over the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This bridge consists of six lanes. However, the bridge was opened to the public in the year 1969. Besides, the name is inspired by the Capilano neighborhood that is located nearby.
Moreover, it is part of the Wayne Gretzky Drive. This bridge links the societies of Virginia Highlands to the North and Capilano Heights to the South. Furthermore, the sidewalks of the bridge were shut down in June 2021. It remained shut down for maintenance for around two months.
When a segment of the walking trail collapsed, the southwest trail of the bridge had been shut down since January 2020. It is situated at the southern edge of the river and west of Capilano Bridge. Afterward, the City of Edmonton announced a repair and renewal project for the bridge. The bridge has an entire length of 290 meters.
1.10. Dudley B Menzies Bridge
The Dudley B Menzies Bridge is an LRT bridge. It also crosses over the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Besides, the name of the bridge is inspired by Dudley Blair Menzies. He was a politician and an engineer in Edmonton. However, the bridge is known to be the 1st box girder bridge of concrete segment in Western Canada.
The chief deck of the bridge transports 2 tracks of the LRT system. It connects the University Station and the Government Center Station. It facilitates a walkway underneath the main crossing of the bridge across the river. This walkway serves bicyclists and pedestrians. The bridge was awarded for its spectacular design of the bridge with concrete material.
The American Concrete Institute gave the award to its joint venture company that built the bridge. It was the Award of Excellence for Design & Construction in Concrete. Further, it carries the 2 tracks of LRT Edmonton. Besides, the entire length of the bridge is 530 meters and is 10 meters wide. Finally, the bridge was established in August 1992 with the construction cost of 13.3 million dollars.
1.11. Quesnell Bridge
The Quesnell Bridge is located across the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a girder bridge that is part of Whitemud Drive. The Whitemud Drive is the southern freeway of Edmonton. For a record, every day, 120,000 cars, on average, cross over the bridge.
The city planned a project to broaden the bridge in 2008. It included the Fox Drive and the Whitemud Drive. However, the bridge’s capacity was projected to be enough until 2058. Further, the project was accomplished in the year 2011.
In August 2010, various fossils were discovered while digging for a sewer pipeline. These fossils were found approx 27 meters down the ground level. Moreover, it is believed that those fossils were from Albertosaurus and Edmontosaurus. These are the 2 extinct genera of the fossils.
Furthermore, this bridge links the societies of Quesnell Laurier/Heights to the North and Brander/Brookside Gardens to the South. It carries pedestrians and motor vehicles. However, the bridge is operated by the City of Edmonton. It was established in 1968 with an entire length of 319.8 meters.
1.12. Clover Bar Bridge
The Clover Bar Bridge crosses over the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a paired bridge with the Beverly Bridge. This twin bridge transports a total of 6 lanes of Yellowhead Trail. The Alberta Highway 16 is also known as the Yellowhead Trail within the limits of Edmonton City.
The former span of the bridge is made of truss. It was finished in mid-1953. Moving on, it connects most of the rural area of Strathcona County to Beverly. After eight years, Beverly is merged with Edmonton City. A steel girder bridge was constructed when the former span could not handle traffic volume any longer.
It was made on the southern side to transport the traffic from the eastbound. The construction of this new bridge was finished in 1972. However, it was named the Beverly Bridge. Moreover, the Clover Bar Railway Bridge is located to the North of the former span. Besides, the length of the bridge is 504 meters, and it is 42 meters high. It was manufactured between 1907 and 1908.
At this time, it was made of concrete truss and iron. A company named Grand Trunk Pacific Railway built this bridge. However, this bridge has been in use until now.
1.13. Tawatinâ Bridge
The Tawatinâ Bridge is situated over the North Saskatchewan River in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is an extra-dosed LRT bridge. Further, the bridge has spans manufactured with the concrete box girder. There is a shared-use path below the spans. However, it is 8 meters wide.
Moreover, it was officially begun on December 12, 2021. Scheduled to get started in 2022, it will be the Valley Line extension of the Edmonton Transit Service part. Meanwhile, the bridge is composed of 2 railway tracks. The first one is towards Downtown Edmonton to the northbound. Second is the southbound, which is towards the Mill Woods.
The Tawatinâ word refers to the meaning “valley” in Cree. However, it showcases the four hundred art pieces. These are made by David Garneau and several indigenous artists and non-indigenous artists. David Garneau was a Métis artist. Also, Madhu Kumar, a Regina artist, contributed his artworks to these art pieces. These artworks are well suited under the box girder. Moreover, they can be seen from the multiple pathways.
2. Conclusion
The city of Edmonton has a famous river entitled the North Saskatchewan River. Above mentioned bridges are the famous bridges in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. However, almost all the bridges cross over the North Saskatchewan River. This river is over 1200 kilometers long. So, many bridges are built across this river.
This huge river divides the city of bridges in half. With these vehicle bridges, its architecture is one of the significant aspects that make Edmonton the city of bridges. Apparently, these iconic bridges, like Low-Level Bridge and High-Level Bridge, are like twin bridges. They both serve the communities of Edmonton in opposite directions. Meanwhile, these are two different bridges built over the North Saskatchewan River.
Furthermore, the city of Edmonton has many bridges. These bridges are pedestrian footbridges, biking, and street car bridges. Bridges are a huge support for the means of transportation. Crossing the river with tons of loads in vehicles through the bridges became easier. Also, it has railway bridges and many under-the-bridge pathways with tunnels. Moreover, each bridge has its own signature feature and notable architecture.
Though Edmonton is the 5th largest city in Canada and is renowned for many things, besides everything, the city has the highest number of street car bridges in the world. In addition, it has many long and broad bridges with railway tracks, streetcar lanes, and pedestrian lanes.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty
