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Can’t find it mentioned anywhere
Seems CEC is keen to demolish.
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Thank you. To be a meaningful consultation, the report must include images. @ThePrideBridge is a landmark & community space, but it also the gateway to #Leith & an accessible pedestrian route. If it is to be removed, @Edinburgh_CC should be clear about what we will be left with
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https://twitter.com/cara_j_says/status/1563080342709616650
Thread
@chdot: Can’t find it mentioned anywhere
There was a thread started about it at the back end of last year - by you, in fact: http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=20811
Back then, the situation was that the bridge had been condemned four years previously, but "council officials" said there was no budget available to repair or demolish it. Has money now been found for the demolition?
Though I suppose being keen to do something, and having the money to do it aren't quite the same thing...
There are 3 spans, but only the central span has major problems, and a most inadequate arrangement was in place to stop public access under that span. Services appear to be under the footways and these are exposed for the central span with 2 'pipes' under the West footway (a water main and a gas pipe?)
The corrosion on parts of the lattice beams and web stiffeners is severe with missing material and lamination of rust
To prevent access to the area under the central span the ridiculously inadequate heras fencing might be replaced by precast retaining wall units, against which excavated material is tipped and graded into a slope, Blocking the access, and close to the level which can support the carriageway above, but also form the means of retaining any material tipped onto the 'hole' made through the carriageway. As the outer spans are supposedly less weak, the bridge can be steadily filled in along the centre-line of the carriageway (as there may be fewer services here, and so a clean 'hole' can be made to tip into) With the hole 'filled' up to carriageway level, a working area along which plant can be driven is created, and the rest of the bridge deck removed to expose the services, and rebuild the ground around them with support from below, and allow the material to spill out under the main girders and form side slopes or build up behind a retaining wall
The outer plate girders seem in better order and from rough measurements external (top flange to bottom flange) and internal (top flange to footway pavement) there is 40-60 cm of cover over the deck plates. The outer spans have had the steelwork encased in concrete, and a closed in duct carries the pipes. This work was probably done in 1930's and was a common detail in this era. Corrosion of the encased steelwork has however continued - as this concrete is less water-resistant than a modern OPC mix, but relatively little of this concrete has spalled off
The Northern span is used by the cycle route
In several other places older 'questionable' bridges have been retained but with a corrugated steel 'Armco' culvert placed in the space to form a subway whilst material is tipped into the hole created by punching holes through the bridge deck, with additional material tipped and bulldozed in below. I did a rough pricing for a similar job in Preston based on other work that John Grimshaw had also done in the South. Delivered and erected the Armco is relatively cheap
It would be really useful to have sight of the utility plans to know exactly what is buried in the road (carriageway & footways)
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Today we presented to the Transport and Environment Committee and are delighted that they voted unanimously to amend the report recommending demolition and review other options.
This is what can be achieved with cross party collaboration and listening to community voices.
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https://mobile.twitter.com/thepridebridge/status/1577986591989157888?
We have at least one example where Edinburgh Council has strengthened a bridge using exactly the option ignored for Lindsay Road, at Pinkston Station on the Corstorphine Branch
A group of engineering undergraduates as been very active in helping to review the much less costly option of keeping a path below the bridge deck and filling up the rest of the space to support the deck (or remove it altogether and create a mini park between the 6 main girders of the 3 spans)
Too much to put here, but the Armco 'culvert' tube delivered and positioned should cost c.£35-40K, and with a bit of work we might be able to use material coming out from local development sites (Powderhall?) to reduce miles for haulage & costs for landfill, plus convert glass back into sand rather than haul it away for recycling (pubs can supply plenty of glass!)
2 of my old babies Bridges in Paisley & Houston have been so treated, Houston was an upgrading of Barrochan Road at Crosslee Station for 44T vehicles done in April this year for c.150K, so a scheme for Lindsay Road should cost well under the figures suggested in the original demolition proposals.
Just to illustrate the detail here's some Pinkhill pictures
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3115171
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5711807
Arellcat has a cute little version just near her in Roslin too
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The @DreadnoughtPub in Leith is packed tonight to hear what 4 @HeriotWattUni Civil Engineering students have to say about the @ThePrideBridge and to help them find the "best engineering solution" to saving it.
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https://mobile.twitter.com/cllrscottarthur/status/1595485214675025937
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10.00am, Thursday, 2 February 2023 Response to Motion by Councillor Booth - Rainbow Bridge / Lindsay Road Bridge - Infilling
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p451
Hmm
Quote was 0.5m to relocate utilities? They could probably remain in current locations (cables in footways nothing in carriageway, according to student team research on records) with basic scheme
If deck removed than a protection 'tunnel' for cycle route under span 1 required even more than at present (spalling concrete risk as 1930's work by LMS is deteriorating)
Major hazard not mentioned - the inadequate closing off of centre span with heras fencing - should be replaced with precast concrete retaining wall units to fully block off the span with tallest possible units. Large loss of steel through corrosion here
Does anyone have pictures of the Pinkhill Station bridge infilling? The weakness of the long girder span meant that it had 2 temporary brick built props in place before the very neat job with an Armco sectional steel culvert - how was this done?
Info on Pinkhill Station bridge infilling would be useful, but it’s a long time since it was done so might be hard to find.
BUT that bridge still carries vehicles unlike the Pride Bridge, so perhaps a simpler/cheaper solution is possible?
Clearly there are ‘heritage’ reasons for retaining the sides - are these corroded and dangerous?
If the deck has to be removed would a narrower bridge be a sensible ‘transport’ solution?
Or is the ‘desire’ for a bigger outdoor space?
Around 40cm of the inside of the girders is made-up as the footway pavement and its condition uncertain (measure the outside flange to flange, and compare with inside flange to pavement)
No significant distress visible on the outside but once the infilling is up to the soffit/underside of girder, the bottom section could be cast into a concrete plinth, or other action taken
Simplest action - punch out the bridge deck along c/l of carriageway, infill in layers to provide working platform/causeway to remove rest of pavement, expose steel/ services & tidy up & regrade a surface between outer plate girders securing these against falling over with bridge structure removed inside
@chdot TBH the only ones I've seen talking about "outside space" are the owners of the pub that uses it for seating everyone else just doesn't want the extra 300m detour for peds especially elderly or mobility impaired. But the pub look to be the main ones running the campaign to save it, so naturally their interest is front & centre.
Thought that might be the case…
So, cheapest way of recreating a connection?
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Deputation statement on behalf of Save the Pride Bridge
Transport and Environment Committee Meeting, 2 February 2023
The Save the Pride Bridge community organisation requests that the TEC commit to infilling the Lindsay Road Bridge, also known as the Pride Bridge. We appreciate the work done by council officers in exploring the options for the bridge's future and, in particular, we are grateful for the seriousness with which council officers have treated community feeling towards the bridge.
However, we continue to feel that infilling represents the best option for the bridge's future, as it is the only way to preserve the multiple aspects of the bridge that are so valued by community members.
As described in our deputation to the 6 October 2022 TEC meeting, the bridge was well used by the local community before it was blocked, and it provided the most direct and accessible walking and rolling route between North Fort Street and Annfield. The alternatives remain unsatisfactory.
Crossing down to the Hawthornvale path presents significant accessibility challenges and the Lindsay Road route forces people next to a busy road with fast-moving traffic. Maintaining the route over the Hawthornvale path is the best way to improve the active travel links between Annfield and Fort areas.
Of equal, if not greater, importance is the social and symbolic value of the bridge to the local community. Since the October TEC meeting, Save the Pride Bridge has received lots of feedback from community members who value the bridge not only as a means of access between local areas, but as a space in and of itself. Questionnaire responses, gathered at a community meeting in November (attended by over 70 people), repeatedly showed that people see the bridge as a welcoming environment and as a safe space for social gatherings. The bridge has previously been used as a gathering space for local running groups, as a place for birthday parties, and as a beer garden by the local pub. Crucially, community members said that their perception of the bridge as a welcoming space for social activities was inextricably linked to the LGBTQ-affirmational symbolism of the rainbow colours. The bridge was initially painted in part as a defiant response to homophobic graffiti in the local area and, in a virtuous circle, its symbolic value has encouraged and is reinforced by community use of the bridge. For example, a local running group has led fun runs starting from the bridge, raising money for LGBTQ charities.
The bridge is a unique and special community asset. It is a physical reminder of industrial heritage of north Leith which has in recent years been invested with new and important significance by the local community. It would be a significant cultural loss to the local community if the bridge were to be demolished or replaced by an option that would not permit social use. Infilling remains the most financially viable option for maintaining everything that community values about the bridge, as a convenient and pleasant active travel route, an important social space, and a symbol of positivity.
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https://twitter.com/spokeslothian/status/1621106950393204737
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Joint proposal by all 3 local councillors, #Green #SNP #Labour
with compromise solutions, given costs
Agreed
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https://twitter.com/spokeslothian/status/1621120538231046145
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Today, we met the design team which has been appointed to reimagine the Pride Bridge. We presented them with this book that we made - a distilled version of all the feedback we have gathered over the last 2 years of community engagement.
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https://twitter.com/thepridebridge/status/1727699539748855865
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2024 is going to be a big year for the Pride Bridge as we participate in a public consultation and design project to determine the future of the Bridge. Sign up for updates via our mailing list to get involved and have your say on the future of the Pride Bridge!
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https://twitter.com/thepridebridge/status/1742434090807119890
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