08-20-2025, 02:36 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-20-2025, 02:37 AM by danbrotherston.)
Does anyone know the final cost of this bridge? If I recall it was around $10 million.
It's interesting to compare it with this cycling overpass in the Netherlands discussed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEJDd0tWv-8
For only 2 million euros (in 2010), they built a much nicer bridge, including artwork, and with a main span of 280 meters. There are probably some (unnecessary) additional constraints imposed on the Avalon Place bridge. I believe the MTO needlessly required the main span to be suspended completely unsupported over the roadway.
But even so, even adjusting for inflation and the currently very weak Canadian dollar this is 2x the price of the bridge in the Netherlands.
I remember having sticker shock about this bridge when it was proposed, and I think we're also seeing our road infrastructure become exponentially more expensive.
Honestly, whether you want car infra or transit or bikes, doesn't matter. The out of control costs are going to be a problem for everyone. The only ones who benefit from this are the consultants/construction firms, and the people who wish to see absolutely nothing change ever (although I doubt those people are ever actually happy).
It's a nice bridge...and it's an opportunity to improve the cycling grid in the city...but it is not an efficient use of money, and the main motivation was not cycling, as I recall, but transit metrics.
It's interesting to compare it with this cycling overpass in the Netherlands discussed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEJDd0tWv-8
For only 2 million euros (in 2010), they built a much nicer bridge, including artwork, and with a main span of 280 meters. There are probably some (unnecessary) additional constraints imposed on the Avalon Place bridge. I believe the MTO needlessly required the main span to be suspended completely unsupported over the roadway.
But even so, even adjusting for inflation and the currently very weak Canadian dollar this is 2x the price of the bridge in the Netherlands.
I remember having sticker shock about this bridge when it was proposed, and I think we're also seeing our road infrastructure become exponentially more expensive.
Honestly, whether you want car infra or transit or bikes, doesn't matter. The out of control costs are going to be a problem for everyone. The only ones who benefit from this are the consultants/construction firms, and the people who wish to see absolutely nothing change ever (although I doubt those people are ever actually happy).
It's a nice bridge...and it's an opportunity to improve the cycling grid in the city...but it is not an efficient use of money, and the main motivation was not cycling, as I recall, but transit metrics.