The Ministry of Transportation declined to comment on if a High Level Bridge replacement would be well suited for a high speed rail river crossing.<\/p>\n
Knack would also like to see the High Level Streetcar preserved in a new plan.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a lot to ask of one bridge, he noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m just wondering about frankly the practicality of a singular \u2026 mega-bridge that can actually handle all of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final decision will fall on the next city council, as it’s slated for a 2031 budget cycle.<\/p>\n
In the nearer term, councillors will consider what to do with the also historic low level bridge this fall. The current plan is to replace the south- and north-bound low level bridges and build a replacement for car traffic.<\/p>\n
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(Sam Martin\/CBC)<\/p>\n
Administration does, however, want to keep the 126-year old north bridge for active transportation like bikes and pedestrians.<\/p>\n
It would also like to simplify the spaghetti junction leading up to it, which city staff described as overbuilt relics of past freeway plans.<\/p>\n
The current estimate to replace both bridges is $1.3 billion in 2026 dollars. It’s a generational investment the city said would put a strain on finances if other orders of government don’t chip in.<\/p>\n
Signature versus functional<\/p>\n
Coun. Ashley Salvador said Edmontonians should get a say in what a replacement bridge should look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously the High Level is an iconic structure,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do we make sure that they’re involved so that there is an opportunity to drive design beyond just functionality so that it has the opportunity to be a signature structure?\u201d<\/p>\n
City staff replied that their estimates aren\u2019t for a design-forward signature bridge akin to the Walterdale. Considering Edmonton\u2019s existing debt, administration went the functional route.<\/p>\n
Staff said council could reconsider, but a replica-style bridge isn\u2019t recommended because riveted steel structures are increasingly rare and expensive to construct.<\/p>\n
But not everyone on Monday was on board.<\/p>\n