OK, editorial readers. We are giving you a slight head start on a decision for Bend. What should the Hawthorne Bridge look like?
The Hawthorne Bridge or as the city calls it the “Hawthorne Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing” is that bridge that will one day cross the Bend Parkway and railroad tracks and be an easy and safe connection — east/west — for people to walk or bike across town. The bridge will be an “Ode to Joy” for people who don’t want to use their car to get everywhere. It also should make things safer for drivers because some people will be using the bridge.
Maybe, one day, it will even get a more inspiring name.
The city has money, about $25.8 million, lined up with the Oregon Department of Transportation. There might be another nearly $6 million available from the federal government and money from the city’s GO bond.
The city still needs a decision made on what it should look like. It is planning to solicit formal feedback in May. There is some variability in the estimated cost based on the design, which we have included below each image. Costs are not finalized. More elaborate designs would require more maintenance.
Don't create an expensive monument. It should be a steel truss bridge, similar to the other pedestrian bridges in Bend, but larger of course. With the money saved, it is possible that another pedestrian bridge could be built where needed.
We have an highly visible opportunity to express Bend’s commitment to outdoor lifestyles, family focused living, even dogs, but instead each of these designs looks like a freeway overpass in anywhere America. At least the low one with the side trusses could support an art installation or changing signage.
It's turning into more of an Ode to a Civic Toy. It's what should be a piece of infrastructure useful for getting pedestrians and bicyclists across town, not a multi-million extravaganza intended for postcards and image building of a would-be metropolis in a water-scarce region. Let's have public art, but let's make it accessible to more than roundabout drivers and parkway users. It is quite true that funds diverted from a pretty colossus such as this could pay the salaries of multiple bus drivers and/or more than pay for a system of safe transportation greenways for the entirety of Bend.
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(7) comments
Don't create an expensive monument. It should be a steel truss bridge, similar to the other pedestrian bridges in Bend, but larger of course. With the money saved, it is possible that another pedestrian bridge could be built where needed.
Hope they consider a design that will maximize views of the mountains and the user experience and minimize views and noise of the highway.
I agree that the choice should be a design that minimizes interfering with the view of the mountains. To me, that looks like the steel truss bridge
I prefer either of the cable-stay designs, but slightly partial to the two-tower version.
We have an highly visible opportunity to express Bend’s commitment to outdoor lifestyles, family focused living, even dogs, but instead each of these designs looks like a freeway overpass in anywhere America. At least the low one with the side trusses could support an art installation or changing signage.
It's turning into more of an Ode to a Civic Toy. It's what should be a piece of infrastructure useful for getting pedestrians and bicyclists across town, not a multi-million extravaganza intended for postcards and image building of a would-be metropolis in a water-scarce region. Let's have public art, but let's make it accessible to more than roundabout drivers and parkway users. It is quite true that funds diverted from a pretty colossus such as this could pay the salaries of multiple bus drivers and/or more than pay for a system of safe transportation greenways for the entirety of Bend.
I definitely prefer the two tower-cable stay design over the others. much more appealing .
Bob W.
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