2nd walking bridge in Fredericton doesn't have to be high-end, trails coalition says

A group working to strengthen the trail system in Fredericton hasn't given up on the idea of a second walking bridge in the capital, perhaps a less expensive span than was recently rejected by city councillors.

Earlier this month, council's transportation committee shot down the suggestion of a second walking bridge across the St. John River after a consultant estimated costs at close to $45 million.

That estimate was for a bridge built on top of the old piers from the former Carleton Street Bridge. A walking bridge built on brand new piers would cost at least $46 million.

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Trail users now get across the St. John River using the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge, which was created from an abandoned rail line, and the Westmorland Street Bridge, whose main purpose is to carry cars.

"Most people would say the best part of the trail is the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge," Andre Arseneault, director of trail enhancement for the Fredericton Trails Coalition, told Information Morning Fredericton on Tuesday.

"If you ask, 'What's the worst part of the trail?' They would say it's the Westmorland Street Bridge. You're on this very narrow, dusty sidewalk with noisy traffic going by, it's very unpleasant. Then you go down the river a kilometre and you experience one of the most peaceful parts of our trail."

Bridge or no bridge?

The estimates that dismayed councillors were contained in an engineering report from Hilcon Ltd. a consulting firm in Fredericton, and based on a high-end, six-metre-wide pedestrian bridge.

The city asked for the report because of some public demand for a second bridge, but there was no formal proposal for one.

Arseneault said a second bridge could be done for much less if built as a three-metre span, the same width as the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge. This would drop the cost to $35 million, he said.

He said more millions could be saved by dropping some elements in the Hilcon report. The bridge could be built with wood rather than steel, for example.

"It's still a daunting number," said Arseneault, whose group has not endorsed such a project.

But the coalition is willing to explore the idea of a second bridge, and the city should be too, said Arseneault, who applauded the city for expanding the trail system.

"I think we need to not put it in a dusty drawer somewhere and continue to look at it and look at the possibilities," he said.

"The piers are there and it would be nice to bring those back to life."

But the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge will already be undergoing major repairs in the fall of 2019.

"We have a lot of projects that we're working towards now, we have a lot of infrastructure we need to renew," said Coun. Henri Mallet last week, who also chairs the city's transportation committee.

"Never say never but lots of work needs to be done before we can look at this."

Nearly $4 million is going to be spent renovating the Bill Thorpe bridge — rebuilding two or three of the piers, replacing the wood ties underneath and installing new decking. Funding will come from all three levels of government.

Last summer, viewing platforms on the bridge were closed after the city's parks and trees division found rot on the railings. A loose railing on one of the lookout platforms was also discovered.

The platforms will not reopen this summer.

The coalition will be holding a public meeting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Picaroons Roundhouse to discuss the future of these trails.

New ideas welcome

"We are soliciting feedback from anybody in the community," Arseneault said.

"Whether you're part of a cycling group, walking group, just somebody who enjoys going out and using the trail on a regular basis, we're looking to get your input, to tell us what we need to do to make this trail vibrant into the remainder of the 21st century. "

The Fredericton Trails Coalition is also looking for other innovative ways to improve the capital city's trail system, such as shelters along the trail, water fountains, washrooms and charging stations that would include USB ports.

They're also looking to incorporate outdoor yoga along the trails.

"We want to get as much feedback from the public in order to make sure our ideas are relevant to the people out there using the trail."