One idea for the Las Olas RiverWalk: A “roll up” pedestrian bridge!
Posted Under: Economic Improvement Suggestions, Ft Lauderdale Development Issues, Ft Lauderdale Parks and Green Spaces, Important Issues for Fort Lauderdale
One Idea for Las Olas/RiverWalk: A Roll-up Pedestrian Bridge!
Downtown Development Authority: Please Take Note!!
One of the problems we have in encouraging economic development and growth along the Las Olas/Riverfront area is that most of the foot traffic is confined to the north side of the New River. Given the height of boats (and the height of the bridges needed to accommodate vehicles and those large boats), it’s been difficult to figure out a way to allow pedestrians to easily cross from one side of the river to the other.
Now a possible solution.
This photograph was sent to me by one of our residents. I am trying to find out where this roll up pedestrian bridge is located. Look closely at how it rolls up (into something that almost looks like art work!), and then extends across the river. Couldn’t we have something like this here in downtown Fort Lauderdale? It could roll up when boats go by, and then extend out when people want to cross the river.
Top shows bridge up, bottom shows it's being extended.
One of my complaints about the RiverWalk is that it’s not yet a “Destination”. It does not meet my criteria for having a safe walk-able area that provides sufficient retail, hotels, parking,entertainment, dining and drinking establishments to attract tourists and residents from all over South Florida. It must be easily accessible by mass transit too. When I compare our RiverWalk with San Antonio’s RiverWalk, ours comes up way short. The people that go to our RiverWalk are a tiny fraction of the tourists and residents that go to San Antonio’s area every day. The economy that their RiverWalk area drives is immense. Ours is next to nothing.
A bridge like this (or several) could allow the RiverWalk to become revitalized. New retail, dining, hotels, lofts, etc. could be developed SOUTH of the New River (which encompasses potentially a larger area & is still underdeveloped), enabling the entire area to have more to offer the tourist and resident.
Michael Madfis and other architects: I’d love to get your thoughts.
To the reader: What do you think!
Earl Rynerson
Reader Comments
Earl, I believe you would make a Great Mayor or Commissioner someday because you think out of the Box, Thank you keep them coming !!!
Comparing the new river to riverwalk is not apples to apples. Riverwalk is not a real boatway like the New River. However having a nice walkway constructed along the existing bascule bridges made of an aluminum framework would work. Perhaps a couple of other ped only bridges would work too. I just can’t imagine dealing with the boat traffic separate from the regular openings.
The concept is great! But it boggels the mind on how you would control boat traffic is both directions. I can see the accidents happening already! And how long are these bridges? The Water Taxi’s have a schedule to follow for stops. Who would control them? I’m not convinced it would work here.
There have never been new ideas or suggestions that work on their own. The trick is to figure out how to make them work. Given that 80% of the time there are no boats crossing a particular point along the new river, I think it could work. Earl
Bridge is located in London. The bridge is shown in the New River DT Master Plan - http://fortlauderdale.gov/planning_zoning/downtown_newriver_mp.htm - Chapter 3, about 3/4th to the end.
Earl - it’s an excellent idea. Have you considered bringing your creativity and passion to Riverwalk Trust? You’d be among people passionate about ensuring the long-term health and viability of the Riverwalk Park and business district.
A number of ways to get across the dividing effects of a small but active water way like New River have been discussed; including the signature swing bridge suggested by an artist during the early phases of the downtown master plan. I like that one very much but it may have not been practical to get it out of the way of boat traffic quick enough. Two other ways well proven in other similar situation and discussed during the original Downtown Mobility Study are; a small ferry continuously going back and forth. This small barge with a hand rails could easily maneuver to avoid boat traffic and vice versa. The other would be developing a pedestrian tunnel like the automobile tunnel at federal highway only for pedestrian only. The cost could be off set by creating a retail / office mall like an under ground street.
Those are great ideas, too, Mike! Why hasn’t this been done yet? It doesn’t matter which one is selected, as long as people can easily traverse the river. It’s clear whatever method is selected would add tremendous value and economic benefit to the area. Who is holding this up? It better not be someone saying “we can’t afford it…” That’s BS. We’ve been wasting taxpayer money for years in this City. Let’s re-prioritize. I know just where that money can come from too!
Earl
Earl;
This issue has been discussed and it is part of the master plan. Besides the commercial areas, a bridge was discussed to link Rio Vista residents or south of the river in the vicinity of the tunnel so many office workers could just cross the bridge to the office towers.
San Antonio’s is a great riverwalk. Ome thing that makes it work is it’s human scale and diversity. Each bridge, walk, building, landscaping, railings, paving material, lighting, colors, scale etc HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT, not to mentin bars, restaurants and large hotel lobbies that empty right into the riverwalk. large setbacks fromthe river work to make the space not as human scale. Sawgrass mall has a pretty good setback or most of the City, but what do people like? Crowded Las Olas ro Saouth Beach. We won’t get ours taht way becaue it is being develioped with one single boring architectural theme due to the conservatism of this town and that everything has to be so compatible. So is
Mizner Park in Boca Raton.
Gus
Gus- When was work done on that plan? Why hasn’t action been taken to get the process started on building a pedestrian bridge over the New River? Sometimes I think that there’s too many plans and too many discussions; not enough actual “doing”…
Earl
I don’t see how you could possilby think that this would work here. On any given day, the boat traffic would require the bridge to be in the up position more than the down and usable position.
The boaters in Fort Lauderdale pay a subtantial amount of additional taxes to have the privilege to enjoy the river and waterways in this city, don’t make it harder than it already is!
Why not have the watertaxi cross pedestrians from one side to the other for free as part of their contract with the city?