Thursday, November 18, 2010
Downtown LR Bridge design unveiled
Posted by Max Brantley on Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 12:52 PM
Plans were unveiled today at the Clinton Library for how the disused Rock Island railroad bridge at the library's front door when it's converted to a span for walkers, bikers and gawkers. An inclined ramp will take people over from the Little Rock side. No elevator like that on the Junction Bridge in Riverfront Park. The $10 million started the first of the month and is to be completed in 9 months. There will be a ramp down on the North Little Rock side as well as stairs. The elevation drop will be greater on that side.
Details from the news release:
To celebrate the sixth anniversary of its grand opening, The William J. Clinton Foundation hosted an event to unveil plans and renderings of the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, currently under renovation. Free and open to the public, a panel of experts — including the engineers, contractors and architects who are overseeing the project — discussed the construction and renovation process.During the fifth anniversary “Thank You, Arkansas” luncheon hosted by the Clinton Foundation in 2009, President Clinton announced that the remaining funds necessary to begin the project would be secured and that construction would begin in 2010.
More than 120 people attended today’s event to learn more about the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, formerly the Rock Island Railroad Bridge. Owned by the City of Little Rock, the Bridge will be a ramped pedestrian pathway that will complement President Clinton’s vision for his Presidential Center and bring a unique economic development opportunity for Central Arkansas. The bridge will close the loop to the 15-mile Arkansas River Trail, which runs along both the north and south banks of the Arkansas River.
The luncheon panelists included Dan Beranek, McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc.; Wali Caradine, Caradine Companies Architecture; Jon Honeywell, City of Little Rock Public Works; Ken Jones, KJ&A Engineering; Ronny Mobley, Mobley Contractors, Inc.; Debbie Shock, Clinton Foundation; and Joe Stanley, Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.
"The bridge is a strong physical and symbolic element of this site, and one of the first decisions that was made about the future site of the Clinton Center was that the bridge would be retained in some form or fashion," said Joe Stanley, Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. "We've been through a lot of assessments and options, but we are all very pleased with the structure, functionality and aesthetics of the bridge. “
Photos along with original and final renderings were presented during the presentation. The bridge’s “rusty” structure will be complemented by a well-lit 12-18-foot walkway flanked on both sides by silver galvanized steel handrails. “The contrast is intentional. It’s the past and the present, the old and the new,” said Dan Beranek, McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc.
The bridge will follow a graded slope that will allow for an uninterrupted crossing experience and will be ADA compliant.
“The bridge is going to be a great addition and it really fulfills President Clinton’s vision for the Center and the Park,” said Debbie Shock of the Clinton Foundation. “This is just one more way that President Clinton wanted central Arkansas to have something different and special from the rest of the world.”
The contract period for the project began on Nov. 1, 2010, and will run through July 31, 2011.
Other renovations and improvements to the Clinton Center Park include the Bill Clark Wetlands project which will be completed in the spring which will provide urban fishing opportunities and a restored wetland habitat to the community.
Members of the community have two opportunities to become a part of this historic project. For a contribution of $100 to the William J. Clinton Foundation, individual’s names will be permanently engraved on the concrete pathway spanning the Arkansas River. The gift is 100 percent tax deductible. Additionally, just in time for the holidays, the Clinton Museum Store has Presidential Park Bridge ornaments at $17.95 each.
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Comments (20)
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This bridge is gonna be sweet and will well serve all the purposes for which it was designed. And if illuminated adequately and in good taste like the Junction Bridge, it’ll also add lots of razzle-dazzle to downtown’s LR’s already sparkling nighttime cityscape and skyline.
Thank you, Eugene Pfeifer, for stayin’ on ‘em!
Upstream a few miles, the pedestrian bridge from the foot of River Mountain Road over the Little Maumelle to Two Rivers Park is also taking shape. Drive the I-430 Bridge southbound and take a gander. What a great addition that’s going to be for all us capital town folk who enjoy getting a bit closer to nature.
Any more pics? a link?
I'm so pleased to see them finally get this project going.
Are they going to make sure that Mayor Hays can get his mothballed aircraft carrier/parking deck under it?
Nice bridge to connect the RV park on the north and the presidential trailer park on the south.
I'm sure all five of the central arkansas pedestrians will love it. Nothing quite like a healthy stroll over Tulsa, Ft Smith, and Russlleville's sewage treatment line on a fine afternoon. /s
Funny, it looks just like the old bridge with some sort of composite walkway. Maybe I'm missing something.
Will LR Parks and Recreation finish their side of the bike trail before we're all dead?
Right on, Eureka. If people had to pay $0.25 a walk and the bridge had to pay for itself this would never be built. But since we have "Federal dollars" we go ahead and build a monument to the egos of a few politicians and something else that will have to be maintained for years. Multiply this by 10,000 places it is occurring and this is why the Deficit Reduction Commission can't balance the budget.
Anyone who downplays the the usage of the River Trails and bridges has paid attention.
I don't LR/NLR has any park that is used as frequently by as diverse (sex, age, race, physcial condition) of population as the Dam Bridge and associated trails.
AA: "Will LR Parks and Recreation finish their side of the bike trail before we're all dead?"
Unfortunately, No.
LR Parks & Recreation could finish the LR side of the River Trail if the City Council/Manager/Mayor would do something to force the hands of the Schools/Businesses that the trail would cross. LR had a chance when they let Dillards build their place on Cantrell and when EPCS built their big complex to make them do something about the River Trail, but they didn't. The much publicized Medical Mile only has about 1/2 - 3/4 used because the rest of it is a trail to nowhere. it ends at the railroad tracks with big signs warning of your arrest for trespassing in the RR right of way.
Surprised that Ron Mathieu wasn't a panelist at the luncheon. Heck, you could hang alot of advertising from an old bridge like that. "Why boat when you can fly?" That's easily worth $40K.
It would be nice to see renderings of the approaches on both sides. It's kind of obvious what a bridge on a bridge will look like. We have a perfect example of that on the Juntion Bridge and this looks exactly like that one (minus blue paint).
I am going to ride the NLR side of the River Trail and over the Big Dam Bridge and back right after work and I will count how many people I see but I can't count past a thousand or so.
I'll report back.
ArkDem,
Agree the LR side of the trail sucks, at least the downtown portion.
Not sure what the solution is. I guess if Dillard had been required to grant and easement or if they cantilever something out below you could have more trail, but you still need some way to cross the railroad track, and west of Dillards you'd need to condemn part of the old marine repair place.
The only way I could see it crossing the school site would be if the railroad offered to let the trail use its tunnel to go under Cantrell and then an "at grade" crossing. I have been lead to believe that is a non starter.
What a great Fall day, to ride the River Loop down to the Clinton library, through Burns Park, across the Dam Bridge and cruise out to Pinnacle and back. Hope I have enough energy left for a Guiness at Cregon's
As a biker and a native of NLR, I have a few thoughts. This bridge will be used by bikers and walkers because it will be a magnificent structure (already is), though perhaps not as much by walkers as the Junction Bridge is because it comes down in an area of NLR where there is not much of anything. It will not complete the bike trail. The bike trail is complete for those of us who are fairly experienced bikers and a little bit crazy. The miles between the end of the dedicated trail on the east end of the Rebsamen Park Golf Course and downtown LR are treacherous and not much fun. It is more fun to ride the LR trail from RPGC west to the BDB or all the way to the I-430 bridge, cross the BDB, ride the NLR trail to downtown and double back. In nine months we can cross the Rock Island Bridge from NLR, go to the River Market for coffee and a pastry and double back. The bridge to Two Rivers is the bridge that really is going to open up biking in the Twin Cities and the county. "Rock Island" should stay in the name of the bridge. And I don't think Dillard's and the Episcopal school are the culprits in the failure to complete the LR Trail. The problem is coming up with an affordable, safe way to cross the railroad tracks downtown. I say, "Use any extra money for developing bike lanes elsewhere and give up on completing the loop in any way other than the way it is completed now." When the bridge is completed, open it. I still believe the BDB was kept closed until the dignataries could open it with a ceremonial ride. The new bridge should be opened as soon as it is completed. Although I have nothing against the design of the library, I always have felt that it pales in comparison to the Rock Island Bridge, which reminds me of the great industrial architecture photos taken by Walker Evans.
There are two major obstacles preventing the Medical Mile from connecting with the River Trail down by Cajuns: the big drainage ditch by the storage place and as noted the railroad tracks. Some kind of bridge over both would work, but I'm betting the railroad wouldn't allow it.
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