A pedestrian ignores a sign alerting people that access to the pedestrian walkway on the Canadian Pacific Railway train bridge south of the downtown Peterborough 16 Nov 2011 Clifford Skarstedt.

30 December 2011

City Puts Out Tender for Design for Replacement of CPR Bridge Pedestrian Walkway

Peterborough Ontario - Another step has been taken toward the possible reconstruction of the Canadian Pacific Railway pedestrian bridge over the Otonabee River near the south end of the city's downtown.
 
The city has launched a competitive bid process for the contract to assess the bridge, provide a preliminary design for a new walkway, and provide a cost estimate for the construction. The request-for-proposals process closes at 3 p.m. 26 Jan 2012.
 
The city wants to know if it's feasible to build a new walkway on the railway bridge.
 
"The walkway on the CPR bridge is important to the network of trails in the city of Peterborough," city staff state in the request-for-proposals documents.
 
"At this point, we've essentially been evicted until we can prove otherwise," said planning and development services director Malcolm Hunt.
 
"It links the Otonabee River Trail to the Trans-Canada Trail in Rogers Cove Park. It is important to the citizens on the east side of the river, as the bridge provides access directly into the downtown."
 
The city closed the walkway 15 Nov 2011 for safety reasons after it discovered that sections of the walkway had detached from the railway bridge.
 
The walkway was part of the construction of the railway bridge in 1916, according to the city.
 
CPR engineers recommended the removal of the walkway, the city states. They have said the walkway has compromised the structural integrity of the railway bridge's north side girder.
 
The city would like the rebuilt walkway to be wider than the existing 1.2-metre-wide path. And it has asked for proposals to include a barrier to prevent pedestrians from getting on the railway tracks from the walkway as well as lighting using light poles and fixtures that match the lighting along the Otonabee River Trail behind the Holiday Inn.
 
City council shifted around money in the city's 2012 budget last month to make $1 million available for the walkway bridge. The city had already earmarked $500,000 for the project for 2012 before it had to close the bridge for safety reasons.
 
The first step is to come up with design solutions to convince CP Railway to allow the city to maintain the walkway, planning and development services director Malcolm Hunt told council 29 Nov 2011.
 
"At this point, we've essentially been evicted until we can prove otherwise," he said.
 
Utility services director Wayne Jackson said 21 Nov 2011 the walkway would be closed for at least a year.
 
Brendan Wedley.