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http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/bridging-the-gap-a-new-landmark-for-leith-1-2341643
"Disused railway lines which used to run across Leith Walk – one of Scotland’s longest streets – would be brought back into use and linked by a striking new structure if funding can be secured for the project.
And the bridge would become home to walkways and community-run gardens, such as those which feature on similar structures in New York, Paris and London."
This has been proposed for a while.
I finally understand what is 'supposed' to happen at Halmyre Street - see pic 7.
Meanwhile in New York - http://www.thehighline.org
That would be so thoroughly brilliant! And glad to see the Scotrail design manual has been thrown in the bin and a bit of inspired architecture being undertaken.
Although I'm not sure how suitable polished steel bars will be in the wet as a riding surface?
The photos include a bunch of stairs - or would it join something to something else? I can't picture where it goes in my head.
Oh it's wood & kevlar. not steel.
@Dave - if they hadn't built along the trackbed, that line would connect up with the end of the path up at the back of the new Leith Academy. Without significant demolition and viaduct and embankment building, that's never going to be reconnected.
On closer inspection stairs not ideal here, I'm sure a cyclable ramp is feasible. Preferable to do it in the first place rather than go back a few years later and spend lots of money rectifying a missed opportunity.
"I'm sure a cyclable ramp is feasible"
Depends if end unit is occupied. Easier if not as a nice gradual ramp would use a fair bit of the internal space.
It's a nice idea. I hope it happens.
Hah, I'm being horrendously NIMBY-ish, because this bridge / route would mean that my living room, which is currently entirely out of human view, would then have passers by able to lean over the edge of the parapet and peer down in across the garden. No thanks. Hmph. In all other ways, it could be great, but it's just too close and personal and would intrude on my living space.
And looking at the picture 7 I'm not sure that Reiths garage (where I get my car fixed!) would be too happy about losing their internal work space to a set of steps...). Maybe they're tenants, but they've been there for 40 years or so.
It all looks a bit conceptual at the moment. :)
Although the positive effect would be that seagulls either couldn't nest up there any more and might go and find somewhere else to live (yay!) or they would vigorously defend their (former?) homes and dive-bomb everyone that ventures along the new route. With hilarious consequences.
Ramps down and up or some sort of Eiffel type lift like the one in Lisbon coupled with pedestrian cyclist crossing might avoid being able to see into LivD's livding room?
some sort of screening required to maintain LivD's privacy
Spotted some lovely slatted wooden shutters slogging through the grange in the rain yesterday that would do the trick
Something on the parapet would be fine. There would be super views over the city from up there. I have climbed onto my roof a few times to check slates etc. and it would be great to see the fireworks from.
Looking over the railway line/path route (Halmyre St end on right)
The artist's impressions do show a lift with cyclists descending.
A stupid lift of course, that would never, ever make it into production but that's artist's impressions for you.
Greener Leith have just posted a forum of ideas for people to vote on.
Vote for Leith Walk development ideas
(Ideas came out of their public meeting)
I'm wondering whether this is really a good use of money. Steps or even a lift, I think as Manderston street and Gordon street as so quiet I would just go down there (as I often do currently). Also up high in the rain and wind doesn't sound too good. Quite like a connection into Pilrig Park but I think knocking down a wall or two would achieve this. I would say the money would be much better spent on developing safe routes up and down Leith walk not making alternatives to quiet roads?
Maybe this sounds too negative, but feel that a few small projects would have a lot more impact on safety and cycling experience.
Maybe this sounds too negative, but feel that a few small projects would have a lot more impact on safety and cycling experience.
This does seem more about artistic / architectural vision than a budget way of creating a cycle path. Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but assume it will be paid out of moneys set aside for artistic and architectural visions rather than one for making the numerous (thousands) of small improvements like dropped kerbs, widened paths, re-aligned junctions, moved parking spaces etc. that would REALLY make a difference.
Personally I don't feel that it being perhaps more expensive and less immediately obviously practical than some dropped kerbs is a reason NOT to build it, so long as you do the latter too.
I know that if it was built, I'd be down there all the time having a shot, when currently there's not really much in the area to pull in us outsiders from the southside.
I know that if it was built, I'd be down there all the time having a shot, when currently there's not really much in the area to pull in us outsiders from the southside.
Except perhaps Leith Docks, if they decided to allow the public access like they did 30 years ago. But since that isn't going to happen unless we actually work there we need to rely on telephoto lenses and old maps.
I really like the design of the proposed bridge, but I do fear that the whole scheme is little more than a path to nowhere.
It's one of those schemes that is more about regeneration and raising the profile of an area and drawing people in as it is about the actual transportation benefits.
Sure, you could have stuck a cyclepath in the wide boulevards of Paris for less cost than the Viaduc des Arts, but then punters wouldn't have been attracted to the area as a result.
I like.
I'm not able to view the video at the moment so not sure exactly what it's about, but I'm guessing this is the relevant thread to post this.
I can't see it either, but the little thumbnail would appear to be taken on op of the arches viaduct that formed the old Caledonian Railway Leith New Lines route, or in non-railway speak, the between Pilrig Park and Leith Walk and then again Leith Walk and Halmyre Street (the viaduct and bridge taking it to and across Easter Road then linking up with the path round the back of Leith Academy sports fields have long succumbed to redevelopment).
Anyway this is the same location for a fancy bridge as mentioned earlier in this thread a few years back.
"would appear to be taken on op of the arches viaduct that formed the old Caledonian Railway Leith New Lines route, or in non-railway speak, the between Pilrig Park and Leith Walk and then again Leith Walk and Halmyre Street"
Yes, except that it's mostly a walk along the existing embankment with graphics for the bridge across Leith Walk.
It's a nice idea, but a quick look at the other side on Google Satellite view shows that the other side isn't just an abandoned viaduct waiting for a bridge/path.
Oh here we go...
DISRUPTION FEARS.
more work to the area could drive walking traffic away
Not sure that makes sense. Work to improve walking access would drive walking traffic away?
It's a nice idea, but a quick look at the other side on Google Satellite view shows that the other side isn't just an abandoned viaduct waiting for a bridge/path.
Yes but it does give a nice view of the widened area where the platforms for the never-opened passenger station would have been.
I can see how it ties in to the existing path network on the west side of Leith Walk, but how would it tie in with the east side around Easter Road? The steps shown on the Scotsman article would dump you in Halmyre street.
How would it connect through to the path alongside Thorntreeside?
The "iconic" Leith Street bridge is due to be removed in the next year. Can they not use it? (might need a wee extension)
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