Ongoing Calgarians complaining about pedestrian bridges thread

[Dion]

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

When are people going to stop arguing about something that is quite obviously based on someones preferences?

No, the bridge is ugly... this is why!
No, you're wrong, the bridge is a masterpiece, this is why!
No, you're wrong, it's hideous, can't you see?

Piss off already.

I didn't know the thread had you in a headlock and was forcing you to read it against your will.

Aesthetics are a huge part of what's wrong with this bridge and thus we're going to discuss it as we will with all other points. Now quit your bitching.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Dion

[MacGruber]

god. what an expensive eye sore

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I didn't know the thread had you in a headlock and was forcing you to read it against your will.

Aesthetics are a huge part of what's wrong with this bridge and thus we're going to discuss it as we will with all other points. Now quit your bitching.

No, nobody is forced to read any thread. But BA does have a point; this thread has gone in circles for months- and really at this point the conversation has moved on to the construction delays.

What he is saying is no matter if you love it or hate it; nobody is going to sway your opinion. Then you get somebody who reads the first page, replies, and then for the hundredth time we hear somebody who thinks they are original in comparing it to a finger trap.

We get a lot of good info from people who know a lot about construction in this city; I'd hate to see them stay out of this thread so that the bickering can continue.

[frinkprof]

It looks like a huge...

Lolololol.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I didn't know the thread had you in a headlock and was forcing you to read it against your will.

Aesthetics are a huge part of what's wrong with this bridge and thus we're going to discuss it as we will with all other points. Now quit your bitching.

Lol, I'm bitching? It's you who constantly is regarding the looks of this bridge. You argue like it's your opinion that is correct, when in fact it is only that, just your opinion of the aesthetics. Telling someone that they are wrong about the bridge looking good is laughable. It's a never ending argument that I don't even know why is pursued anymore.

Frankly, it's getting old.

[jayswin]

http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the...11/#clip440231

This seems pretty appropiate

Norm MacDonald on the Daily Show talking about how Bridge building is always the biggest issue for Canadians.

Stewart: You're Canadian, your government has collapsed

Norm: It has? Well the good thing is, it doesn't matter.

Norm: In America you have a duty to be political because you vote for the wrong guy, he blows up the world.

Here's how our elections in Canada go. "Hey, how does that guy stand on the bridge....building?"

That's everytime. One guy says "I think we should build the bridge" and the other goes "ahhh, I don't really care for the bridge"

Stewart: So it's all bridge based politics?

[Titan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Speaking of bridges . . . ah hell I was going to do another Fotze mom thing but my hearts not in it tonight.

Thats what she said. Getting old are you?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Norm MacDonald on the Daily Show talking about how Bridge building is always the biggest issue for Canadians.

They're going to be building a bridge a couple of miles away from me that is estimated to cost a BILLION dollars, and there is barely any discussion of it in the media (I found out about it via a community newsletter). If this was in Calgary, I'm pretty sure the universe would cave in on itself.

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by Table 5

They're going to be building a bridge a couple of miles away from me that is estimated to cost a BILLION dollars, and there is barely any discussion of it in the media (I found out about it via a community newsletter). If this was in Calgary, I'm pretty sure the universe would cave in on itself.

A billion dollar man bridge? Or is it a vehicle bridge?

[Table 5]

What's a man bridge?

It's a vehicle bridge.....the point being it costs a billion dollars, and yet nobody is jumping off a...bridge?

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by Table 5

What's a man bridge?

It's a vehicle bridge.....the point being it costs a billion dollars, and yet nobody is jumping off a...bridge?

[Joborule]

It's simply astounding how a bridge can create so much controversy and apparently hate. Say it's $10 mil to make, and no biggie, but $25 mil and poop hits the fan.

[YYC in LAX]

Originally Posted by Table 5

What's a man bridge?

I sometimes refer to pedestrian bridges as man bridges. Not sure if it's acceptable lingo or not, but it's a habit.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Lol, I'm bitching? It's you who constantly is regarding the looks of this bridge. You argue like it's your opinion that is correct, when in fact it is only that, just your opinion of the aesthetics. Telling someone that they are wrong about the bridge looking good is laughable. It's a never ending argument that I don't even know why is pursued anymore.

Frankly, it's getting old.

Was April Fools' extended to the entire month or something? In a thread of over a thousand posts, I've made but three and I'm constantly bitching about the looks of the bridge?

I guess the part where I mentioned that the workmanship is shoddy, the bridge is needlessly expensive, and Caltrava has a bad reputation for projects he's previously done regarding practicality and engineering concerns (see his project in Venice) is just thinly veiled bitching about how the bridge looks.

I didn't say that MrMastadonFarm or anyone else's opinion was wrong, I only asked why he thinks the aesthetics of the Peace Bridge are more suitable for the area than the St. Patrick's Island bridge. It's perfectly reasonable to debate the merits of aesthetics in design and architecture. Now, quit your bitching. Pretty please?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

the bridge is needlessly expensive,

Let's clear up this misconception too. The bridge is not needlessly expensive. A bare bones bridge in that location was going to cost ~$15 million or so (not the 2-3 million like some have said). In the location it is in, I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to spend a little extra to make the bridge look nice. The bridge over the Bow river in Banff came to something like $3 million dollars, but it was only half as wide and half as long, and very bare bones, nothing fancy at all. The peace bridge being twice as wide means that there's an instant doubling of cost, and being twice as long means that there's likely a Tripling of cost (longer spans increase the cost exponentially). Multiply that all together, and a similar bare bones bridge across the Bow in Calgary would be ~$18 million.

All of the newest pedestrian bridges in the Calgary area have been $4-5 million, despite, again, being half as wide and half as long, and much simpler design wise.

Now, whether or not it looks nice, I suppose is a matter of opinion, and that's fine. It is however, unique, and certainly not a lower quality design from Calatrava. I have seen the drawings, and it is high quality design, VERY complex. It might be the most complex engineering that Calatrava has ever done on a bridge.

[CaptainCrunch]

Too bad that the opening is delayed, I was going to take some pictures of the bridge using perspectives and distances to make it look like it was part of my anatomy.

[Jimmy Stang]

To add to what Thneed has said, I recall reading that there were a few restrictions placed on the design as well. Perhaps someone who knows the specifics can help me out here, but I believe that there were not supposed to be any piers in the water and the height was also restricted by the nearby heliport. Both of those things alone would have an impact on the design and cost regardless of who designed it, and also differentiate it from a typical cement girder bridge over a much narrower roadway, for example.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Too bad that the opening is delayed, I was going to take some pictures of the bridge using perspectives and distances to make it look like it was part of my anatomy.

Ribbed for her pleasure.