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High Level Bridge (Edmonton)
Encyclopedia
The High Level Bridge, opened in 1913, spans the North Saskatchewan River
in Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. Located next to the Alberta Legislature Building, the bridge linked the separate communities of Edmonton
and Strathcona
, which became one city in 1912. It was designed from the outset to accommodate rail, streetcar, automobile and pedestrian traffic. The bridge was designated a Municipal Historic Resource in 1995. Trucks are prohibited on the bridge due to the low clearance of 3.2 metre and substandard lane width. Currently street traffic is one-way southbound. At the north end of the bridge 109 Street
becomes the left lane, and 110 Street becomes the right lane. The next bridge downstream, the Walterdale Bridge
, is a two-lane bridge with one-way northbound traffic into the downtown.
The Canadian Pacific Railway
, responsible for the design of the bridge, ceased rail operations over the span in 1989. The upper deck contains only one track now, which is currently used only by the High Level Bridge Streetcar
, a historic streetcar
route that travels from the Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum, just north of the Strathcona Farmers Market, in Old Strathcona
, to Jasper Plaza south of Jasper Avenue, between 109 Street and 110 Street, in downtown, with three intermediate stops.
In 1980 the "Great Divide Waterfall" by artist Peter Lewis was added to the structure for Alberta's 75th Anniversary. This man-made waterfall drops 64 metres (210 ft) from the top of the bridge, (7 m higher than Niagara Falls
,) into the North Saskatchewan River at a rate of 50,000 litres per minute. It operates during holiday weekends in the summer months.
Extensive repairs and the addition and widening of pedestrian sidewalks were completed in 1994–95. The original lead paint on the bridge was carefully removed, and over 100,000 litres of paint were used to recoat the girders.
The Edmonton-area Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer uses a rivet hammer purportedly used in the bridge's construction as part of its ceremony.
In June 2009 the electrical wires supporting trolley bus operation on 109 Street were removed as part of the City of Edmonton's plan to retire trolley buses from service.
Every year at the end of October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month
), CHBN-FM
(91.7 The Bounce) strings bras across the bridge for breast cancer awareness and research donation.
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Located next to the Alberta Legislature Building, the bridge linked the separate communities of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Strathcona
Strathcona, Alberta
Strathcona was a city in Alberta, Canada, located on the south of the North Saskatchewan River opposite of the City of Edmonton. It amalgamated with Edmonton on February 1, 1912....
, which became one city in 1912. It was designed from the outset to accommodate rail, streetcar, automobile and pedestrian traffic. The bridge was designated a Municipal Historic Resource in 1995. Trucks are prohibited on the bridge due to the low clearance of 3.2 metre and substandard lane width. Currently street traffic is one-way southbound. At the north end of the bridge 109 Street
109 Street, Edmonton
109 Street is an arterial road in central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It takes travelers out of Downtown to the south, Old Strathcona, and the north, Kingsway area. It passes several Edmonton landmarks including the Garneau Theatre, Alberta Legislature Building, Grant MacEwan University, RCMP "K"...
becomes the left lane, and 110 Street becomes the right lane. The next bridge downstream, the Walterdale Bridge
Walterdale Bridge
The Walterdale Bridge is a bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was built by the Dominion Bridge Company, and was named after John Walter, an early settler who ran a ferry at this approximate location.The bridge is currently slated for replacement, with...
, is a two-lane bridge with one-way northbound traffic into the downtown.
The Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, responsible for the design of the bridge, ceased rail operations over the span in 1989. The upper deck contains only one track now, which is currently used only by the High Level Bridge Streetcar
High Level Bridge Streetcar
The High Level Bridge Streetcar is a historic streetcar ride over the High Level Bridge in Edmonton, Alberta. It travels from the Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum, just north of the Strathcona Farmers Market, in Old Strathcona, to Jasper Plaza south of Jasper Avenue, between 109 Street and 110...
, a historic streetcar
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
route that travels from the Strathcona Streetcar Barn & Museum, just north of the Strathcona Farmers Market, in Old Strathcona
Old Strathcona
Old Strathcona is an historic district located in south-central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Once the commercial core of the separate city of Strathcona, the area is now Edmonton's main arts and entertainment district, and in 2007 was named Alberta's second "Provincial Historic Area"...
, to Jasper Plaza south of Jasper Avenue, between 109 Street and 110 Street, in downtown, with three intermediate stops.
In 1980 the "Great Divide Waterfall" by artist Peter Lewis was added to the structure for Alberta's 75th Anniversary. This man-made waterfall drops 64 metres (210 ft) from the top of the bridge, (7 m higher than Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
,) into the North Saskatchewan River at a rate of 50,000 litres per minute. It operates during holiday weekends in the summer months.
Extensive repairs and the addition and widening of pedestrian sidewalks were completed in 1994–95. The original lead paint on the bridge was carefully removed, and over 100,000 litres of paint were used to recoat the girders.
The Edmonton-area Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer uses a rivet hammer purportedly used in the bridge's construction as part of its ceremony.
In June 2009 the electrical wires supporting trolley bus operation on 109 Street were removed as part of the City of Edmonton's plan to retire trolley buses from service.
Every year at the end of October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure...
), CHBN-FM
CHBN-FM
CHBN-FM is a contemporary hit radio station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The station, which is jointly owned by Rogers Radio, operates at 91.7 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW.-History:...
(91.7 The Bounce) strings bras across the bridge for breast cancer awareness and research donation.