New railings, surfaces, and glass panels for City bridges

Warm, dry conditions in Calgary over the summer means it’s the best time for bridge maintenance.

City crews and engineers maintain bridges through both routine and preventative types of maintenance to keep motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians safe. Make sure you know which bridges are currently undergoing work so you can plan your route.

Peace Bridge Trolley

Peace Bridge
There are six broken glass panels on the Peace Bridge that need to be replaced, and the City has partnered with a contractor to come up with an innovative solution to replace them. Using a cart that runs along the top of the bridge, panels will be lowered into place with a rope suspension system. This unique strategy will be benefit pedestrians, says Senior Engineer Craig MacFarlane. “Replacing the panels with ropes from the top of the bridge means there will be no scaffolding in place. The bridge will remain fully open to pedestrians whenever work isn’t being done.” The bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. while the panels are being replaced, but these closures will not occur every night. Work is expected to finish by August 10, 2016.

Prince’s Island Park Bridge

Prince's Island Park bridge scaffolding

From July until October 2016, crews are installing a new non-slip walking surface on the bridge that connects Prince’s Island Park to Memorial Drive. This new surface is being installed on the bridge in sections, which means the bridge will remain open to pedestrians throughout the work. Watch for scaffolding where the work is being done, and make sure to dismount from your bike.

Penbrooke Meadows Pedestrian Bridge
The pedestrian bridge that connects Penedo Way S.E. over the railway tracks is closed for repairs until September, but is expected to re-open before the start of the school year. In order to keep kids safely travelling over the railway tracks to get to school, the pedestrian bridge will undergo:

• concrete repairs,
• installation of new treads and grating on stairs, and
• railing reinforcement.

Throughout these projects, make sure to watch for crews and give them plenty of room to work. These are just three of over 400 bridges managed and maintained by The City. Learn more about the City’s annual bridge maintenance projects.