Pedestrian Bridges on Oklahoma River

[Pete]

Don't know if you guys have seen this, but TAP has this rendering about an idea for the new I-40 overpasses -- not pedestrian but shows the city is giving thought to creating some architectural interest:

[The Old Downtown Guy]

I am a huge fan of Santiago Calatrava. I had to do a report about him in college. My favorite bridge (the Alamillo) is in Seville, Spain. It has a single mast, and cables only on one side. The mast itself is the counter balance for the bridge deck.

I saw the Seville bridge you are talking about. If I'm not mistaken, it is one of two bridges proposed. The other being upstream and a mirror image; thus when viewed together they would present the complete idea. Unfortunately, the second bridge was never built; budget problems.

While in Spain in 1995, I also saw a lot of Gaudi's work, mostly in Barcelona. Some of Chiluy's work in glass makes me think of Gaudi's twisting curvasous glazed tile clad structures. Spain has a long tradition of contemporary architecture. Across the street from Gaudi's Casa Mia in Barcelona, are three or four buildings by other architects that exhibit the same free spirited style.

[John]

Don't know if you guys have seen this, but TAP has this rendering about an idea for the new I-40 overpasses -- not pedestrian but shows the city is giving thought to creating some architectural interest:

I hope they go through with the art on the overpasses, some detractors were saying that it would distract drivers , but they might want to redo the theme for the Western bridge, as the downtown airport is no longer.

[BDP]

some detractors were saying that it would distract drivers

As if anyone on I-40 is paying attention anyway.

I'm not sure what kind of distraction it would be anyway. People driving through cities usually have much more to distract them than they will on this sunken throughfare. Even if there are no landmarks, there's usually billboards whose entire point is to distract the driver.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Even if there are no landmarks, there's usually billboards whose entire point is to distract the driver.

Fortunately, as a result of reccomendations by the I-40 Enhancement Steering Committee and some diligent effort by Oklahoma City Beautiful, no billboards are being permitted along much of the new I-40 corridor.

[Nuclear_2525]

Those overpasses would be cool, however, the only thing I would change in that picture... LANDSCAPING!!! Why the hell can't OKC plant tons of trees and bushes along the side of the highway, like TX has done on the George Bush in Dallas. It's not like there would be that much to landscape anyway, that grass area looks about 5' wide and it would be for 5 miles or so.