Don't let it be a bridge of sighs

scotto

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Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator.

SPECIAL TO THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR

StreetBeat; Imagine sailing over the QEW to the lakeside. It can be done -- and it's up to you, officialdom
By Paul Wilson
The Hamilton Spectator
More articles by this columnist
(Aug 16, 2006)
Every day, 120,000 vehicles fly past Hamilton on the eight lanes of the QEW that hug this end of Lake Ontario.

You don't want to try to dash across that kind of traffic. But if you're a cyclist trying to get over to the beautiful Beach Strip trail, the alternatives are nearly as bad.

There's Woodward Avenue, a potholed truck route. And there's Centennial, with more trucks yet, plus vanishing sidewalks and a suicidal dash through a railway underpass.

Next year, there may be a better way to the Beach. But time's a wasting.

The idea is a pedestrian bridge across the QEW, between the Burlington Street exit and the new interchange for the Red Hill Creek Expressway.

It would be "barrier free" -- that is, no stairs. So you could ride, roller skate, run your power scooter along a trail in the Red Hill Creek, sail over the QEW and link up with that five-star lakeside trail.

The Ministry of Transportation has already told the city this idea looks OK. But the big issues now are designing the bridge and paying for it.

East-end councillors Chad Collins and Sam Merulla are both keen on this project. Both have had complaints from constituents about how hard it is to get to the water. Both would like to see something more than just a cookie-cutter structure across the QE.

"I wouldn't want it to be circus-like," Collins says, "but it should be something that shows you're travelling through this unique community."

He points to the other end of the city, the entrance that brings motorists in over the 1932 High Level Bridge, as something to aim for. "That bridge itself could be a logo for our city."

A simple truss structure would cost about $3 million. An enhanced bridge, something that says "Hamilton" in an elegant way, could cost twice that.

Plain or iconic, construction of that pedestrian crossing would be done in conjunction with the new Red Hill interchange next February. That means the bridge design has to be finalized no later than November.

City staff are now looking for that $6 million. Maybe the province will kick some in. Maybe the Waterfront Trust. And maybe big steel has some money.

The bridge would touch down on the lake side at Wallace Road. Don't go looking for that on the map. It's an unpaved road allowance off the short piece of Nash Road that sits on the lakeside of the QEW.

There are seven houses on Wallace Road. They can't get cable here. The pizza man always gets lost and even the cops have a hard time finding them. The city doesn't clear the snow, but Bernie Arsenault is glad to do the job. He has been here 49 years.

Out their front door, the people of Wallace Road have a sound barrier. Out back, they have a water-and-woods wilderness.

A new pedestrian bridge right in their midst comes as distressing news to Mike Bateman. "What I like is that nobody comes here," he says.

And he worries about rising crime.

But this is the kind of talk we heard from Beach Strip residents when the trail was being planned between their back yards and the lake. Now they love sitting in the sun, watching as the world rolls silently by and their property values soar.

Sherry and Sam Nath know that. They live in a house on Wallace Road that started as a small cottage. They couldn't get permission to knock it down to build a new home, so they put on an addition that triples the space.

Sherry's view of the bridge that would end just steps from their door? "I'm so happy."

The route will lead city dwellers to an area that until now has been known only to the residents of Wallace Road and to gaggles of birdwatchers.

The trail here runs along an abandoned rail bed that cuts though a marsh with snapping turtles, herons, fat carp skimming the surface. Push north and you're at Hutch's.

November seems like an impossible deadline to pull this together. But city council is motivated because November also brings an election.

This city loves politicians who find ways to give us back our waterfront, so long out of bounds.

StreetBeat appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday

pwilson@thespec.com 905-526-3391


Picture- A $6-million pedestrian bridge over the Queen Elizabeth Way to the Lake Ontario waterfront might look like this. Final design and financing are not yet complete, but the city must move quickly.
 

scotto

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Monday, April 02, 2007 | Updated at 7:05 PM EDT


Councillors call for a bridge to the beach
By Eric McGuinness

The plan is to create a dramatic statement to distract Toronto-bound drivers from bayfront smokestacks and slag piles.

It would safely connect local residents to the lakefront and link with the Beach Recreational Trail and the Bruce Trail through the Red Hill Valley.

To do it, the majority of council's public works committee recommends spending $7.5 million for a curving, "signature gateway" project rather than a simple steel span costing half as much.

Committee members voted 6-2 yesterday to spend $500,000 for a detailed design of the fancier bridge, hoping some of the money will come from upper levels of government, the city's Future Fund, the Lake Ontario Waterfront Regeneration Trust or other sources.

Chris Murray, overseeing construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway, said a decision is needed now so the Ontario Ministry of Transportation can build the centre support pier on the QEW median this year as part of the parkway interchange project.

Downtown Councillor Bob Bratina said it won't be a gateway to east Hamilton, "because the gateway is where the Stoney Creek sign is" (farther east on the QEW).

Bratina wants the public to decide whether they want an expensive bridge, his fountain proposal in the harbour or some other landmark project.

"Before you commit the dollars, you've got to get the public involved. A lot of east-enders would say spend the money on something else."

Ward 5 Councillor Chad Collins argues the creative design would help counter images of Hamilton's industrial skyline and "everything that's on Eastport Drive."

Photo-
Special to the Hamilton Spectator
Artist's conceptionof the proposed pedestrian bridge across the QEW
 

scotto

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By Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 3, 2007)
Ward 4's Sam Merulla -- who pushed city council to make an east-end "gateway" bridge one of its strategic priorities in 2004 and again this year -- says it's worth double the cost of a basic bridge because "you get double the benefit."

He believes the proposed pedestrian span over the QEW between Burlington Street and Centennial Parkway will catch the eye of Toronto-bound drivers "right when you see Hamilton's industry. It will take you away from the view of the industrial core."

Dave Mitchell, whose ward includes rural sections of Stoney Creek, argued the city would gain more by investing in a gateway project at Fifty Road, where Tourism Hamilton is buying property for a visitor centre.

Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson said, "Even though this is a long way from Ancaster, it is the right thing for the City of Hamilton. Image is a problem for the city. It will help to change that."

But he also suggested the arch incorporated in the design is "simply stealing from Toronto," which has an arched suspension bridge over the mouth of the Humber River, easily seen from the QEW.

Vicki Barron, representing the Lake Ontario Waterfront Regeneration Trust, told council's works committee: "It will be an icon. No matter how it is done, it will be an icon, a signature project, a legacy project. Sometimes it is about design, not just the money."

Barron said the Hamilton bridge would be a priority item in the trust's next pitch for federal and provincial aid.

Ferguson and others suggested Mayor Fred Eisenberger continue to seek federal funds for the bridge and for cleanup of Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour in return for settling the city's lawsuit against the federal government over delays in approving the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

Landscape architect Steve Barnhart noted that parking and many recreational opportunities will be available at the south end of the bridge in a park planned for the site of the now-covered Rennie Street dump. The north end will connect to paths leading to the Beach Recreational Trail along Lake Ontario.

It will give Ward 4 residents safe access to the lakefront and connect to the Bruce Trail via trails through Red Hill Valley. The concept shown to councillors is based on a 200-metre elevated span with 100 metres of ramps.

Chris Murray, project director of the Red Hill Valley Parkway, said the arch is to the south of the highway because the province will not allow it directly over the QEW.

emcguinness@thespec.com

905-526-4650
Photo-
The City of Hamilton Handout
An artist's view of the proposed span if it crossed the QEW in east Hamilton, connecting the Beach Recreational Trail and the Bruce Trail through the Red Hill Valley.
 

scotto

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Gateway bridge price tag concerns some councillors

Posted with permission from Stoney Creek News

Kevin Werner, Stoney Creek News


(Apr 6, 2007)
It could cost nearly $7 million for Hamilton residents to "sail" over the Queen Elizabeth Way.

Members of the public works committee approved this week a series of recommendation to spend $500,000 to design a signature gateway bridge that would span the QEW from the Red Hill Creek Parkway and linking up to the Waterfront Trail.

Councillors also suggested the city investigate a number of funding options to pay the estimated $6.8 million cost to construct the pedestrian bridge, from asking the federal and provincial governments, to tapping into the Hamilton Future Fund. Flamborough councillor Margaret McCarthy and downtown councillor Bob Bratina both opposed the motions.

"We have an opportunity to turn the corner on our image," said Councillor Chad Collins. "We could do something very bold."

Ward 4 councillor Sam Merulla agreed the price tag may seem steep at first. But the benefits such as improved safety, establishing a link to Hamilton's north-south trail system, an improved image and creating a "gateway" project, far exceeds the costs, he said.

"This would be placed in the most intensified industrial area in Ontario," said Mr. Merulla. "(The bridge) would mitigate some of the quality of life issues in that area, such as noise, air and odour. (Residents in Ward 4) ask for so little."

Mr. Merulla also suggested the pedestrian bridge cost be area-rated with Wards 4, 5, and 6 splitting the expense.

"That's how strongly I feel about this project," he said.

Ward 6 councillor Tom Jackson trumpeted hard for his colleagues to approve the project.

"This is a breath of fresh air," he said. "We are constantly talking about attracting tourists, to grab their attention."

But even though a few councillors saw the benefits of the pedestrian bridge, with an arch resembling a sail on it, they balked at the cost.

"It's a lot of money," said Mr. Bratina. "I don't know what that arch says except a dollar sign."

He also pointed out it will cost the city $136,000 in yearly maintenance costs. Mr. Bratina also raised concerns about youths throwing objects onto the QEW.

Stoney Creek councillor Dave Mitchell argued the Red Hill Valley Parkway isn't the proper location to build a "gateway" project. He has been involved in building a gateway structure at Fifty Point Road which would introduced tourists to the Hamilton area.

"I don't think (the gateway) is here," he said. "We do need a gateway (but the bridge) is not a gateway."

Since 2005 city staff have been discussing the possibility of constructing a pedestrian walkway across the QEW to connect Hamilton's north-south trail system, and completing the Rennie End-Use masterplan project. Two years ago, the city set aside about $1.35 million for a pedestrian bridge.

Chris Murray, director of the Red Hill Valley Parkway Project, acknowledged the cost two years ago was only a loose estimate.

The 300-meter, barrier-free pedestrian bridge would be built opposite the remediated Rennie Street dump, east of the Burlington Street overpass, allowing people to cross near Van Wagner's Pond, then linking up to the Waterfront Trail.

"It will be an icon, a signature structure," said Vicki Barron, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust.

She compared Hamilton's proposed bridge to the visually arresting bridge in Toronto that crosses the Humber River.

"Sometimes it about the design, and not about the money," said Ms. Barron.

She said if completed Hamilton's structure will be the first time a municipality has attempted to connect the 650 km waterfront trail across a major transportation corridor.

Ms. Barron cautioned councillors she did not come to Hamilton with a cheque book, but her organization has identified the bridge as one of the trust's priorities to receive funding from the other levels of government.

Politicians will vote on the committee's recommendation at their April 11 council meeting.

If approved, construction on the bridge would begin in the spring of 2009.
 

scotto

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Bridge is compensation

By Burke Austin, Hamilton
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 12, 2007)
Re: 'Span-tastic idea? Councillors explore spending $7.5 million on arched bridge over QEW'

The concept of the $7.5 million curving "signature gateway" pedestrian bridge over the QEW looks impressive.

It would link the newly-constructed Waterfront Trail with the Bruce Trail and new parkland being developed on the Rennie and Brampton landfill sites, a big expense to taxpayers and an incredible improvement to the area.

Councillor Bob Bratina seems to think that "a lot of east-enders would say spend the money on something else." Maybe he is right.

Most of us are practical, hardworking citizens. Why spend so much money on a bridge when our roads are swallowing up our vehicles and our services are being diminished?

I cannot speak for all east-enders, but for one that has been involved with the Red Hill Valley Project for 15 years I am saying this -- The City of Hamilton promised us a pedestrian bridge over the QEW, and different designs are documented. This bridge would provide safe access for our residents, especially children on bikes, to the lakefront and Confederation Park.

This was compensation for the expressway infringement on our community. I think most east- enders are shaking their heads, and saying "just give us what you promised us. It doesn't have to cost $7.5 million when one half of that will do the job and put our money into projects that are needed."
 

scotto

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QEW bridge will make a dangerous junction worse

The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 14, 2007)
Re: Pedestrian bridge

As residents of Stoney Creek, we frequently drive the QEW east of the Skyway bridge. The highway entrance at Centennial Parkway is one of the most stressful and dangerous in the area. Merging and negotiating the crossing traffic attempting to exit at Burlington Street can be a hair-raising experience. Later this year, when traffic merging from the Red Hill Expressway is added into the mix, the traffic will probably be worse.

The last thing needed is an attractive "gateway to the city" walking bridge that will provide yet another visual distraction in an already hazardous area. Drivers are distracted enough, with all the other demands, necessary and otherwise, on their attention.

Having parkland on both sides of the highway is great and providing a walkway for pedestrians is fine.

But it should be a safe, functional structure and no more. The attractive "gateway to the city" should be farther east, at the edge of our community and where the traffic is less harried.

-- Don and Louise Froggett, Stoney Creek
 

scotto

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City eyes funding for pedestrian bridge

The Hamilton Spectator
(Feb 12, 2008)
The city is asking the province to pay for a pedestrian bridge over the QEW as part of a new infrastructure program.

The government invited all municipalities to apply for special infrastructure funding for one project. City staff compiled a short list of possible projects. The three finalists were restoring Auchmar Estates for $14 million, upgrading part of the Woodward Water Treatment Plant for $30 million or upgrading the East Hamilton recreation trail for $14 million.

The final option scored the highest and staff believes it's most likely to be accepted.

Councillors agreed yesterday.

"It has a lot of sex appeal," said Councillor Chad Collins.

The project includes a pedestrian bridge-gateway feature, new trails and renovation of the former Rennie Street landfill into a recreation area.

The city will know by the end of March if its project is approved.
 

scotto

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Pedway over QEW to link trails in east end

Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 28, 2008)
The Ontario government is set to give $14 million to Hamilton today to help build a splashy eye-catching pedestrian bridge over the Queen Elizabeth Way in east Hamilton.

The funds, coming from $300 million geared to infrastructure, are to be unveiled by local Liberal MPPs Ted McMeekin and Sophia Aggelonitis at the Parks Canada Discovery Centre this afternoon.

"I want to thank Premier Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario government for recognizing how merited this initiative is," said Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla, who first pushed council to make a "gateway" bridge a priority in 2004. "I'm very pleased and it's a good day for the east end of Hamilton."

Merulla, informed of the announcement yesterday, said about $8 million will go toward building the bridge and the rest is slated for new trails and renovation of the former Rennie Street landfill into a recreation area. He couldn't say when construction will start, but said it couldn't start soon enough.

The bridge is to be built over the QEW between Burlington Street and Centennial Parkway. It will link the Beach Recreational Trail and the Bruce Trail through the Red Hill Valley.

dnolan@thespec.com

905-526-3351
 

scotto

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Trail-bridge link

Lee Prokaska
The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 31, 2008)
It's excellent news that the province has kicked in $14 million to help build a pedestrian bridge to connect the Red Hill Valley trail to our Lake Ontario waterfront.

The new bridge over the Queen Elizabeth Way will be a boon to the east end, adding a critical link to Hamilton's well-developed trail system and providing a safe walking/cycling route to the Beach Strip and amenities such as the Lakeland Centre, with swimming pool, splash pad and snack bar, as well as Confederation Park.

The city project includes new trails and the renovation of the former Rennie Street landfill into a recreation area, a much-needed addition for east Hamilton residents.

The architectural-quality pedestrian bridge will also provide something sorely lacking in the approach to Hamilton from the east -- a signature gateway for those entering the city from Niagara Region via the QEW.

It's good to see the province backing a project such as this, which provides both functionality and aesthetics to an area of our city that has often felt neglected in the past.
 

varsr

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Aug 18, 2007
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pedestrian bridge

Just snooping around thru the forum and found this article from March about the proposed pedstrian bridge? Does anyone know if this has been approved - or still just being talked about??
 

scotto

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Just snooping around thru the forum and found this article from March about the proposed pedstrian bridge? Does anyone know if this has been approved - or still just being talked about??
As far as I know it is still a go, it was part of the deal to put the expressway or parkway up the Redhill Valley. Therefore it will be somewhat hard to veto.
Maybe we should check with Councillor Collins just to be sure.
 

scotto

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This was sent in by Councillor Collins.


The funding for the bridge has been approved. We're currently in the design stage, having held our first public meeting in June (at the Lakeland lighthouse) to receive public comments and field questions. The design will be completed in 2008 with construction planned for 2009-2010.
 

scotto

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More from Councillor Collins

Councillor Collins
I have sent a revised trail alignment drawing to your office that shows our preferred alignment. The connection remains the same toward Van Wagner's Beach Rd / Nash Road as originally proposed. Given the sensitivity to the footpath through Van Wagner's Pond along the abandoned rail bed (public concerns), and slope on the ramp from the bridge trying to meet the abandoned rail bed while keeping it under 5% we have dropped the asphalt route through the pond area. The route will remain open only as an informal footpath to accommodate naturalists. I have attached a letter that is going out today to the residents and business in the immediate area (40) and those who registered at the PIC in June. Per our discussion we will be utilizing the project web site for regular updates as the design moves forward. If you require specific updates please let me know.
 

scotto

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Bridging a gap from waterfront to Red Hill Valley

By Kevin Werner, News Staff

Stoney Creek News
Sep 18, 2009
The City of Hamilton is building a bridge that will link the Waterfront Beach Trail with the entire Red Hill Valley trail system.
Construction began Sept. 14 on the $14-million project, which will include a pedestrian and cycling signature bridge over the Queen Elizabeth Highway.

Building equipment could be seen from the QEW on the Rennie Street landfill site this week. Barriers were installed along the Red Hill Parkway for motorists to observe, said Gary Moore, director of engineering services.

The curving bridge, which is designed to have a sail-like quality, is supposed to become a “gateway” welcoming people into the city, says councillors Sam Merulla and Chad Collins, who pushed to have the project a city priority. Drivers will be looking at the bridge rather than the industrial sites on the east waterfront, Mr. Collins has argued.

The project, indentified as the East Hamilton Trail Hub and Waterfront link, also includes constructing a recreation hub, involving soccer and picnic areas, rehabilitating the environment on both the Rennie Street and Brampton Street landfill sites, the installation of signs, and providing a link with the waterfront to the Red Hill Valley Trail system. The city received funding from the province for the project in March 2008.

Mr. Moore said the contractor, Dufferin Construction, will have to construct a pier over the Red Hill Creek to protect the marsh area, along the QEW as construction evolves over the next few months.

“The biggest problem will be clearing a large enough space for the work area,” he said.

It’s expected the project will be completed by September 2010. It will take between eight to 10 months to fabricate the bridge structure, he said.

Traffic along the QEW will be disrupted, but only at night, he said. There will be “rolling stops” where police vehicles form a barrier in front of the traffic and slowly escort the traffic through the work area.

Ward 2 councillor Bob Bratina has become a vocal critic of the project, arguing since the idea was first raised in 2007 that it was a silly idea, and a waste of money. He said any funding should have been used to improve cycling paths along the roadway on Burlington Street underneath the highway to connect to the waterfront.
 

scotto

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If you travelled anywhere near Confederation park this week, you will see contractors hard at work putting the new structures in place, should be nice when it's done.
 

Sharla1

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Oct 15, 2009
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That is going to be one long trail when done.

But I wished the city would work more on the sewer systems in the city first. They are slowly getting around to putting badly needed new roads in lately though. Plus they sure need to do something about the flooding on the Redhill as well yet. So maybe they should have held off on this bridge and worked on these other problems first. Even Bob Brattina mentioned about the money being spent better in other ways.
 
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scotto

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That is going to be one long trail when done.
Not that I will use it much, I like the idea of interlocking all the trails together. The one on the Beach is well used year round, brings people in from all over to use them. A people place!
I hear you on the sewers though, work that should of been done years ago.
 

scotto

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Pedestrian bridge update

Pedestrian bridge update
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
(Aug 18, 2010)
Construction of a pedestrian bridge over the QEW and Red Hill Creek is continuing and is expected to be complete by the end of October.

* The "gateway" bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the QEW will cost $8 million (about $6 million for the span itself). Most of the money came from Ontario government infrastructure funds.

* It's 300 metres long.

* It spans the QEW from the former Brampton Street landfill to the waterfront between Burlington Street and Centennial Parkway.

* It will cost $200,000 to $400,000 a year to maintain.

* It has taken a year to fabricate the steel for it.

* The most recent plan is to paint it red -- in honour of Hamilton steel and the Red Hill Valley's red soil.

* The bridge is a key part of a system of trails intended to compensate for open space lost to the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

* The trails will one day connect Felker's Falls Conservation area, Paramount Park, Glendale Falls, Albion Falls Park, Mount Albion Conservation Area, the Eramosa Karst Conservation Area and Valley Park. It will link the Beach Recreational Trail and the Bruce Trail through the Red Hill Valley.

* It is also intended to serve as an eastern "signature" gateway entrance to the city.
 
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