Bridgeland-Riverside Multimodal Pedestrian Bridge
Bridgeland-Riverside Pedestrian Bridge Project
In partnership with the Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee, we are working on designs for a new multimodal Bridgeland-Riverside Pedestrian Bridge. The project consists of two new bridges:
- a new bridge that will replace the existing bridge that crosses Memorial Drive and connects the community to the Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station and the pathway on the north shore of the Bow River
- a new bridge from the north shore over the Bow River to St. Patrick’s Island
Multimodal pedestrian bridge
The new bridges will be multimodal pedestrian bridges. This means they will be designed for pedestrians, wheelchairs, cyclists, scooters, and other micromobility devices but not road vehicles such as cars and motorcycles.
Project update – September 2024
We continue to work on the details of the new bridge designs, landscape designs, formalizing the pathway and community connections, and preparing regulatory applications.
Environmental surveys and geotechnical drilling to support the foundation designs, along with other work, is in progress.
The City, and our consultants, are creating designs to share with the Committee and community for more input.
About the project
The new Bridgeland-Riverside Pedestrian Bridge project will be designed to connect the community to the Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station, the pathway on the north shore of the Bow River, and St. Patrick’s Island. The new bridges will provide better access and improved safety for the Bridgeland-Riverside community, as well as all Calgarians.
The project is divided in two stages of construction:
- Stage 1: Construction of the new bridge from the north shore over the Bow River to St. Patrick’s Island.
- Stage 2: Replacement of the existing pedestrian bridge that connects the Bridgeland-Riverside community to the Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station and pathway on the north shore of the Bow River.
Background
In 2020, the Bridgeland Riverside Community Association requested studies for a new bridge that would more directly connect the community to St. Patrick’s Island. The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) completed these studies and shared the results with the Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee and Executive Committee in 2021. As a result of the studies, the Committees agreed The City should proceed with developing preliminary designs for a new bridge.
The Bridgeland-Riverside community was consulted through online engagement in October and November 2022. The community was asked a series of questions about how it uses the existing pedestrian bridge over Memorial Drive and what its priorities are for a new pedestrian bridge. The Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee reviewed the community feedback and agreed there is a need for a new bridge to connect more directly to St. Patrick’s Island.
The Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund
The Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund was created in 1997 and uses the annual investment return on net proceeds from the sales and/or leases of the former Calgary General Hospital and Bow Valley Centre lands (BVC Lands).
The Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee chose to fund this project because it is a healthy initiative that will encourage active modes of transportation and help connect the community to the Bow River and St. Patrick's Island.
Design
The new bridge design is being guided by the following principles established by the Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee:
- Placemaking & Community Building: Create a connection between the community, the Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station, and St. Patrick’s Island that celebrates its unique location and provides access to more pathways, parks, and amenities. Create a gateway to the community. Re-establish the connection between the community and the Bow River focused around resilience, community experience, and wellbeing.
- Safety & Accessibility: Improve safety and accessibility between the community, Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station, and surrounding amenities.
- Sustainability & Economic: Create a bridge that helps define the success and identity of the community, encourages future development in the area, and provides a missing connection within the tourism corridor.
- Implementation: Maximize continuity of service and access to the community and Bridgeland-Memorial LRT Station throughout construction.
Timeline
- Fall 2022: Investigation through engagement, community meetings, and research. (COMPLETE)
- Winter 2022: Prepared conceptual design options and evaluation criteria for a new bridge. (COMPLETE)
- Spring 2023: Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund Review Committee presents recommendation on how to proceed with the project to the Community Development Committee. (COMPLETE)
- Summer 2023: Funds from the Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund were approved and released to the project. (COMPLETE)
- 2024/2025: Finalize the design, submit regulatory applications, and develop the construction procurement package.
Budget
The Calgary General Hospital Legacy Fund has committed approximately $17M to support the project.