One-upping the Choppaduct
A Portland architect concocts a Godzilladuct for the new bridge over the Columbia.
Has Portland developed a bad case of Seattle-envy? Or might it be another Seattle-parody? Witness what might be called the Godzilladuct — a massive green park lid on the proposed new Columbia River crossing. It's the kind of idea that puts Speaker Frank Chopp's Viaduct plans into the shade.
The Portland idea comes from an architect named Bill Badrick, who has shown his "Green Columbia River I-5 Bridge Artworks" for a few years. A new Columbia River crossing would have a block-wide park atop the bridge, a "Park in the Sky" connecting the two states. Glass walls 10 feet high would protect the park users from wind and from falling off. Meanwhile, the lid would provide bikers, walkers, an drivers with rain protection below. Badrick claims it could be built as cheaply as some other schemes for the gateway new bridge, including one that lines the bridge with windmills.
Badrick says his inspiration comes from Louis Kahn, the great American architect and dreamer, as well as his work in green design. No question the park would afford amazing views, including the ships passing underneath and the vast riverscape. But parks usually only work if they are part of a normal pedestrian pathway, which could hardly be said to be the case for the I-5 bridge.
No word on whether this plan is emboldening Speaker Chopp, who wants to put a park atop a new elevated roadway on the Seattle waterfront. All I know is that the Speaker is not especially amused by the way his plan, despite all is hard work in tweaking it and lobbying for it, seems to be getting the brushoff in Seattle and Olympia.
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Comments:
Posted Tue, Dec 30, 10:18 a.m. inappropriate
I'm surprised you are dissing this proposal Mr. Brewster. Sure, it is more art than engineering, more whimsy than a real alternative.
But it is relevant to the discussion and it advances the civic discourse more than a piece of Chamber music, or, for that matter, an escort girl advertising in the back of the Seattle Weekly.
A private individual chose to develop this proposal on his own time as a **contribution** to the **conversation**. That fact alone puts it above ridicule.
Practicality is another matter, and, FWIW, LIDS are probably going to be the first freeway mitigation measure to go - including those at the Montlake and Clyde Hill ends of the 520 Bridge.
Posted Tue, Dec 30, 2:30 p.m. inappropriate
It’s getting to be a stretch even for you to create yet another piece criticizing a replacement solution for the viaduct. It would be funny if it wasn’t just more of the same spin we’ve been hearing for the last 3 years that pretends that most of us want to tear it down. We don’t. Any replacement strategy for the viaduct that doesn’t provide at least its current capacity to move vehicles is a colossal mistake. It’s too bad that elected officials whose leadership doesn’t pass the “do no harm” test aren’t held responsible for the damage that they do. Wouldn’t it be great to see the mayor and city council wearing orange jump suits picking up litter along the Alaskan Way Surface Option?
Posted Tue, Dec 30, 4:56 p.m. inappropriate
This could cross the water rather than having any of the viaduct options, proposal #10.
Posted Sun, Jan 4, 9:50 p.m. inappropriate
I guess that there is a place of green roofs, but please, can't we have parks on park land an bridges built to need and to reflect the art of good design? Let's explore land use and transportation with humans as part of the environment not as an apology for mussing up mother nature.