Pedestrian Bridge

[918superboy]

I completely agree Rio Gator.

When the final bridge design was decided on I was super let down that it wasn't 'The Crossing' design, that seemed to be the only bridge design that really fit with what the gathering place was intending to be. And frankly, with a more 'controversial', or rather unique design like the crossing the conversation around the construction process would've remained in focus and we may have had a bridge by now.

After reading your comment though it opened my eyes a bit, when it was all announced I was very gungho on the new pedestrian bridge, but with the original sitting there vacant for so long it has brought up lots of fond memories and seeing the final design concepts of the new bridge, I'd much rather have the original. I get the feeling that when they initially evaluated the bridge, they too were too focused on the new project, a reevaluation would be good.

[shavethewhales]

In order to save the old bridge, it would have to be dismantled, the piers completely rebuilt, and then put back together with new timber. The supports are crumbling and can't be fixed.

This could probably be done. Arguable whether it would be better than the proposed design, but if the proposed really doesn't have dedicated bike lanes then its a wash for me.

[tulsabug]

Wonder how they're going to keep nesting birds and piles of trash out of the honeycomb part of the bridge. And chain link fencing? Where they've done this on overpasses like the 244 bridge on Yale near Admiral it just looks terrible - nothing says penitentiary like white concrete and chain link fencing. I dunno - maybe they should add some decorative razor wire to the bridge railing to really make it pop. 

[tulsabug]

In order to save the old bridge, it would have to be dismantled, the piers completely rebuilt, and then put back together with new timber. The supports are crumbling and can't be fixed.

This could probably be done. Arguable whether it would be better than the proposed design, but if the proposed really doesn't have dedicated bike lanes then its a wash for me.

Based on the renderings, I believe what they're shooting for is to have you park your bike and then take one of the new dedicated kayak routes across the river.

[SXSW]

Based on the renderings, I believe what they're shooting for is to have you park your bike and then take one of the new dedicated kayak routes across the river.

LOL but seriously there needs to be a bike lane on the bridge.  That was one of the biggest issues I had with the old bridge.  To work as a connector between the east and West Bank trails it needs dedicated bike lanes, and they should be on the south side as most people walking/jogging across will be on the north side because of the views.

[shavethewhales]

Wonder how they're going to keep nesting birds and piles of trash out of the honeycomb part of the bridge. And chain link fencing? Where they've done this on overpasses like the 244 bridge on Yale near Admiral it just looks terrible - nothing says penitentiary like white concrete and chain link fencing. I dunno - maybe they should add some decorative razor wire to the bridge railing to really make it pop. 

These are good points. All those voids are going to get full of bird trash. I wonder if they thought of that during the selection? As for the fencing, I assume it is welded wire... but that is an assumption at this point.

[Arkansas Rio Gator]

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/gatheringplace/gathering-place-to-grow-with-pedestrian-bridge-project/article_49b60bfc-eeb3-11ea-acd5-9787e4e61513.html

Some quotes:

"Stava said building a canopy or other sun shield over the deck would simply be too expensive. His hope is that construction bids will come in low enough that money will be available to install the up-lighting shown in the renderings and some kind of benches.

"If the $27.4 million in public funding for the project is not sufficient to pay for those amenities, the city and the Gathering Place will determine whether they want to try to raise private money for the up-lighting, benches and any other features they would like included in the project. No private funding has been secured yet."


"The new bridge will not have a fishing dock." (I am no fisherman, but just for the record.)

[ComeOnBenjals]

That thing is going to be TOASTY without any covering.

[Oil Capital]

Yeah, that bridge needs to have a shade structure.  I think it's a mistake to go forward without shade.

[SXSW]

Equally important in my eyes is a clear separation between bikes and pedestrians.  That was an issue with the old bridge.  It looks like this one will be wider which is good.  Two-way bike lanes on the south side and a pedestrian lane on the north side (where people will be looking at the view) would make this bridge a lot safer.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

JMO, it sounds more like a car dealer bait and switch. Here's the car you want, but this is the car you can afford. The original winner did look wider with better separation for bikes and pedestrians as well as better benches and shade structures.

My favorite part of the article:

The new pedestrian bridge will not be the exact one Tulsans were shown in renderings when Mayor G.T. Bynum announced that the Gateway Bridge had won the design competition. Those drawings were of the $35 million version of the structure, which included wood decking, shading, benches, vegetation and canopy to shield people from the sun.

Stava said building a canopy or other sun shield over the deck would simply be too expensive. His hope is that construction bids will come in low enough that money will be available to install the up-lighting shown in the renderings and some kind of benches.

So they don't even know if they will have enough money for the lighting and the benches even with building the stripped down base model?

[Oil Capital]

This is looking more and more like a total cluster.  Please scrap it and try again before spending $27.4 Million (before cost overruns) on a bridge that no one will be happy with.

I am sure we are all excited (or apparently are supposed to be excited) about having the "very first steel plate multiarch bridge ever built in the United States" , but it's not worth ending up with an inadequate facility that does not provide what we need.

[TheArtist]

It will have to have some sort of shade structure on it for people to actually want to use it.  Heat is one problem, the sun imho will actually be worse, even if its cool out, or cooler over the river. That Oklahoma sun glaring down on you and then more sun reflecting up from the bridge and water surfaces... will be blindingly awful. At least having a covered structure here and there, or even one mid way would make it much nicer, doesn't have to be over the whole thing.  Surely some company or someone would like to have naming rights for a covered area.

[Weatherdemon]

It will have to have some sort of shade structure on it for people to actually want to use it.  Heat is one problem, the sun imho will actually be worse, even if its cool out, or cooler over the river. That Oklahoma sun glaring down on you and then more sun reflecting up from the bridge and water surfaces... will be blindingly awful. At least having a covered structure here and there, or even one mid way would make it much nicer, doesn't have to be over the whole thing.  Surely some company or someone would like to have naming rights for a covered area.

No covering will certainly limit use.
I don't care for the new drawings either but could live with it if it had a cover.

[BKDotCom]

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/councilors-urge-gathering-place-to-include-shade-structure-on-new-pedestrian-bridge/article_a7d70fce-0e57-11eb-9589-77c8173a3586.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

Councilors urge Gathering Place to include shade structure on new pedestrian bridge