The Walterdale Bridge is a
through arch bridge
A through arch bridge, also known as a through-type arch bridge, is a bridge that is made from materials such as steel or reinforced concrete, in which the base of an arch structure is below the deck but the top rises above it. It can either be lo ...
across the
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...
in
Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anch ...
, Canada. It replaced the previous Walterdale Bridge in 2017. The new bridge has three lanes for northbound vehicular traffic and improved pedestrian and cyclist crossings.
Old Walterdale Bridge (1913–2017)
The previous Walterdale Bridge (formerly called the 105 Street Bridge, renamed in 1967)
was a
steel grating-decked
truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...
. It was built in 1913 by the
Dominion Bridge Company
Dominion Bridge Company Limited was a Canadian steel bridge constructor originally based in Lachine, Quebec. From the core business of steel bridge component fabrication, the company diversified into related areas such as the fabrication of holdin ...
and was named after
John Walter, an early settler who ran a ferry at this approximate location. The neighbourhood
Walterdale at this location was also named after John Walter.
Demolition of the 1913 bridge began in October 2017 after the
decking,
sidewalks, and utilities had been removed, and was completed by the end of that year.
Replacement bridge (2017–present)
Planning for the replacement of the 1913 Walterdale Bridge began over a decade before construction on the new bridge started. In 2001, an Edmonton City Council committee rejected a $190-million proposal for a tunnel under Saskatchewan Drive to directly connect the new bridge to
Gateway Boulevard
Gateway often refers to:
*A gate or portal
Gateway or The Gateway may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''Gateway'' (film), a 1938 drama
* ''The Gateway'' (2015 film), a horror film
* ''The Gateway'' (2017 film), a science-fictio ...
.
Planners considered both a four-lane one-way bridge and a five-lane bridge with a single southbound lane to connect the area to Kinsmen park.
Construction began on a replacement bridge in early 2013 and was scheduled to be completed in late 2015; however, it did not open (two lanes only) until September 18, 2017. The contractor faced over $10 million in penalties for the delay. The new bridge has three lanes for northbound vehicular traffic and improved pedestrian and cyclist crossings. Roadway and trail links north and south of the bridge were partially complete, and the pedestrian access and all lanes opened on September 29, 2017.
The new bridge is east of the original bridge site, and is supported by concrete thrust blocks on the banks of the river, eliminating the need for piers. The arches are tall.
Gallery
File:Walterdale Bridge, Edmonton, Alberta (1977).jpg, Walterdale Bridge (1977)
File:Walterdale Bridge Edmonton Winter2013.jpg, Old Walterdale Bridge with early work for new one barely visible on the banks (March 2013).
File:105st bridge may 2016 (27011756265).jpg, The replacement bridge under construction, photo from direction of water (May 2016).
File:Construction of the new Walterdale Bridge and side projects - Edmonton, Canada (Date unknown).png, Construction crew at work under the new bridge, photo taken from the foot and cycle path (Date unknown).
File:Near finished structure of new Walterdale Bridge with surrounding city of Edmonton, Canada (Sept -2016).jpg, Cranes and nearly finished structure of new bridge with surroundings
(September 7, 2016).
File:Walterdale May 2017.jpg, Old and new Walterdale bridges (May 25, 2017)
See also
*
List of crossings of the North Saskatchewan River
This is a list of crossings of the North Saskatchewan River in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta from the river's confluence with the South Saskatchewan River upstream to its source.
Tables
Saskatchewan
Alberta
No ...
*
List of bridges in Canada
This is a list of bridges and viaducts in Canada, including those for pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
Historical and architectural interest bridges
There are only a few covered bridges left in Canada compared to all those that were built in t ...
References
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Through arch bridges
Bridges in Edmonton
Road bridges in Alberta
Bridges completed in 1913
Bridges completed in 2017