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[COM] Torrens Footbridge | $40m

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:41 am
by Wayno
from today's Independent Weekly:
tennisandbridge.JPG
tennisandbridge.JPG (1.18 MiB) Viewed 22710 times
I believe a few S-A website members have been calling for a footbridge across the Torrens - is this what you expected? Sorry abut size of image - perhaps save to your desktop for easier reading

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:54 am
by skyliner
Shades of Brisbane here - they have one over the Brisbane R.from Southbank to the CBD - similar reason, but fueled by high rise apartments as well.

Great idea - hope it does'nt detract from the beauty of the area however when you are in Elder PK. (sounds like a nimby here). Infrastructure can, however, be an artwork in itself so hope this is so. (For the rail buffs - epitomised by the locos of GWR and LBSCR in UK before 1923).

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:24 pm
by Xaragmata
Wayno wrote:I believe a few S-A website members have been calling for a footbridge across the Torrens - is this what you expected?
That is the general idea of what I would prefer to modifying the Victoria Bridge. The design could be a bit more adventurous, but a good
starting point.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:40 pm
by Matt
Great... have wanted a footbridge for years.
It's common sense that Riverbank/Casino/Convention Centre, etc, be linked up with the sporting precinct across the Torrens.

Looking forward to seeing a render. Hopefully it's an interesting design.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:13 pm
by Brando
This plan has been going around for years now. I do hope they finally get this off the ground and build a 'iconic' bridge, not just a bridge from A to B.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:35 am
by SRW
Good news about the plan to upgrade the tennis complex; hopefully we can attract back the major tournament we lost.

On the footbridge: it's not an idea I've ever been really keen on. I understand the argument about better connection between the sporting and entertainment precincts, but I've always believed that an important part of the beauty of Elder Park and the Riverfront Precinct is the calm expanse of the ornamental Torrens Lake. The best photography of Adelaide usually presents this. It would have to be of pretty outstanding architectural merit for me to support dissecting the lake and interrupting that.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:39 pm
by Omicron
SRW wrote:Good news about the plan to upgrade the tennis complex; hopefully we can attract back the major tournament we lost.

On the footbridge: it's not an idea I've ever been really keen on. I understand the argument about better connection between the sporting and entertainment precincts, but I've always believed that an important part of the beauty of Elder Park and the Riverfront Precinct is the calm expanse of the ornamental Torrens Lake. The best photography of Adelaide usually presents this. It would have to be of pretty outstanding architectural merit for me to support dissecting the lake and interrupting that.
Hear, hear.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:51 pm
by ReallyBad
Just do it - we need things like this for Adelaide

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:09 pm
by Tyler_Durden
From a personal point of view, I'd like this to happen because I walk from the city to the gym and back again to catch a bus every day after work and it would save me a few minutes. But, if I remove those selfish reasons from my mind I can't see the justification for this. Apart from the gym what would this bridge service? Nothing but a tennis stadium that is used a couple of times a year. Perhaps if there wasn't already a bridge (King Wiliam) 100 metres to the east and another one a hundred metres to the west then it might be worth considering but as it is there is just no valid reason because there is nothing on the northern side of the river.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:07 pm
by Norman
Adelaide Oval?

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:10 pm
by Tyler_Durden
Norman wrote:Adelaide Oval?
Why can't you just walk along King William Street?

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:59 pm
by AtD
Tyler_Durden wrote:Why can't you just walk along King William Street?
Tell that to people who use the University Bridge, and there isn't even anything significant on the northern bank.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:17 pm
by monotonehell
AtD wrote:
Tyler_Durden wrote:Why can't you just walk along King William Street?
Tell that to people who use the University Bridge, and there isn't even anything significant on the northern bank.
The University Footbridge's main intent was to get people from Adelaide Uni to their sport fields on the other side. Lots of North Adelaide residents use it to get to and from work/study in the CBD.

Right now there's a pedestrian crossing across the Torrens approximately every 400 metres. That's including the Uni Footbringe. Ie from West to East: The Weir, Victoria Bridge, Adelaide Bridge, University Footbridge, Albert Bridge, Hackney Bridge. So you're never much more than 200 metres away from a river crossing as a pedestrian.

A footbridge from the back of the railway station across Pinky Flat would halve the walking distance to Adelaide Oval / Memorial Drive but I'm not yet convinced that the need is there.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:57 pm
by mm42
Let's hope it gets built. The footbridge will provide better access to the Adelaide Railway Station and Glenelg tramline. To use the King William Road bridge means an extra walk of at least 400m, which means a lot of people simply drive.

In Melbourne, events at the Telstra Dome, and MCG are often service by extra train services, in addition to the events filling the normal services. Reducing the walk will make the train a lot more attractive.

[COM] Re: Memorial Drive Upgrade + Torrens Footbridge

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:36 pm
by Wayno
This article implies the bridge will entice people to visit the nth terrace entertainment precinct after the tennis/cricket - will a 200-300m shorter walk really achieve that?

Also as said previously by others, it would have to be a bridge of significant architectural merit to get my nod.