DOWNTOWN BRIDGE OPEN HOUSES INVITE PUBLIC FEEDBACK WITH POLLING ON BRIDGE CONCEPTS
View the Bridge Concepts
Step 2 of the Bridge Type Selection Process is complete, and comments on the concepts are being assessed. The design team will use this feedback, along with information about cost, constructability and other factors to develop alternatives. To view each of the 31 concepts presented, scroll down.
December 9, 2005 -- Two Open Houses recently offered the general public the opportunity to view concepts for the Downtown Bridge, ask questions and provide feedback about their likes and dislikes. The meetings are part of Step Two of the Bridge Type Selection process.
The four-step process for selecting the final bridge type for both the Downtown Bridge and the East End Bridge encourages public input throughout the process. During this step, bridge designers are presenting draft concepts to obtain feedback from the public. In Step Three, the teams will take the input on concepts and develop bridge design alternatives.
"What is important during this step isn't knowing whether or not someone likes a cable-stayed bridge or a truss bridge, it's knowing that they like a particular concept because it's lower in height and has a similar rhythm as the Kennedy Bridge or because it is slender, sleek and open. We're going back to our computers with that input to draw detailed designs that will reflect what we've heard from the community. They may not look like what the public saw at the open houses, but they will reflect their reasons for preferring one concept over another," said J.B. Williams, project manager for the Downtown Bridge.
Interested members of the general public had the option of attending the Tuesday, November 29 session at the Frazier Arms Museum in Louisville or the Jeffersonville session at The 300 Spring Street Building on Thursday, December 1. Both events allowed visitors to view informational boards, interact with bridge design team members and take part in identical polling sessions designed to obtain public input about the bridge design concepts.
The concepts that were on display included variations of four bridge types: cable-stayed, arch, truss and box-girder - which was a new option. Due to new information that came from the Coast Guard several weeks ago, the box-girder was introduced as a viable option for the Downtown Bridge.
A polling process was moderated by Ted Grossardt from the Michael Baker team. After an explanation of the process that was to be followed and of the concepts, audience members were shown a series of 31 renderings of bridge concepts, displayed with a shoreline view and an aerial view. Each rendering showed the new bridge in context, next to the Kennedy Bridge and juxtaposed against the bordering parks.
Following the polling session, the attendees shared their opinions about why they liked and didn't like certain concepts. Some of the sentiments expressed concerned the dominance of the structure, whether or not it was symmetrical or if there seemed to be too much clutter above the deck. The feedback received, in addition to data on cost, long-term maintenance and constructability, will be used in the development of alternatives.
Aerial and Shoreline Images from the Downtown Bridge Concepts Presentation
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