Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Credit Island Recreational Bridge

Check out this link on the City of Davenport website. It has some renderings, maps, and a video of what the new bike/pedestrian bridge from Credit Island to South Concord will look like.

This bridge will be part of the Mississippi River Trail, which stretches from Minneapolis to New Orleans, and also allow for the Duck Creek and Mississippi River trails in Davenport to eventually be linked at both ends. When that loop is finally completed I think it would be great to see a second Ride the River-style family bike ride put on annually.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting design. I like the idea about connecting the river and Duck Creek trails. Runners and bikers could do laps.

Nitrous55

Robbie said...

i think that bridge looks ugly. thats the best they could come up with?

Tory Brecht said...

Regarding the design:

I wrote a story about this quite awhile back. The design had to be changed to keep the cost down.

Here's an excerpt from that article:

" Originally, the bridge was planned to be made of steel, looking like a small-scale version of some of the area railroad trestles.But the skyrocketing cost of steel pushed the price tag close to $3 million, well over the $2 million budgeted.

However,Albansoder said, the ensuing brainstorming about alternative materials just may have resulted in a more iconic structure.

The bridge will be built with pre-cast concrete, poured on site.It will take the form of a series of parabolic arches - like miniature versions of the St. Louis Arch - stretching 800 feet across the slough, with the bridge deck hanging from cables below.

The design will allow the middle of the bridge to stretch to 32 feet wide, room enough for benches, wildlife watching areas and interpretive signs.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is picking up 80 percent of the cost, with the city chipping in the remaining $400,000."

So the city ended up saving around $1 million by modifying the design.

FWIW: the Council approved the final design on the consent agenda last night - with 2nd Ward Alderman Bill Edmond voting against it.

RPM said...

I like it. Can't wait to make use of it.

Anonymous said...

I think it looks GREAT

Robbie said...

thanks for the info tory! its all personal opinion, and with every design there are people that don't like it...

QuadCityImages said...

I think its fine. Its not something visible enough yet to spend extra millions on its appearance.

Anonymous said...

Why don't they extend the bridge over the sewer treatment plant. That way you can not only smell the smells but you can see the crap. Bad place to put the bridge. They need to get a handel on the offensive oders from the plant before they put this bridge in.
pu

Anonymous said...

Conservative Demo here:
Friday 12:02PM sez:"They need to get a handel on the offensive oders from the plant before they put this bridge in."

Aah yass, would that be The Royal Fireworks, The Water Musick, or Ode to the Birthday of Queen Anne going after those odors?

Anonymous said...

Some people have no tolerence for the fragrance of nature.

Nitrous55