The pedestrian bridge that has been sitting on the ground for the last couple of months along Shaganappi Trail in the city’s northwest will finally be lifted into place this weekend.

People who live in the area have dubbed the bridge 'The Blue Blunder' because when workers tried to set it into place in mid-January, it didn't fit.

It turns out the bridge was the right length, but the two cross beams that butted up against a concrete ramp were off by several inches so crews had to adjust them.

“We’re just wrapping up painting those cross beams right now and we’re planning on lifting this bridge into place on Saturday if the weather is okay,” said Michael Thompson, Director of Transportation Infrastructure.

The city started planning the pedestrian bridge four years ago after a study revealed that 138 jaywalkers dashed across traffic on Shaganappi Trail in just one day.

The city says the new bridge will make it safer for motorists and pedestrians.

“The bridge itself weighs almost 300,000 pounds. It's almost 60 metres long and three metres wide, so it's quite a complex project. We assembled the parts here on site, but they're actually fabricated all across Canada, so when the parts come together sometimes there's little pieces that don't fit, and that's what we experienced last time. So were we happy about it? No. But did we come to a solution that left us with a safe bridge and also a quality bridge? Yes. Our focus is always on designing and building at a high quality and high standard.” said Thompson.

There will be a number of road closures so crews can lift the bridge into place and complete the finishing touches.

Shaganappi Trail between Crowchild Trail and Northland Dr. / Dalhousie Dr. will be temporarily closed during off peak hours.  Message boards will be placed in several nearby locations to notify motorists in advance of the closure and detour routes. 

  • Weekend 1
    Fri. March 13:       9 PM – 6 AM
    Sat. March 14:      9 PM – 6 AM
    Sun. March 15:     9 PM – 5 AM
  • Weekend 2
    Fri. March 20:       9 PM – 6 AM
    Sat. March 21:      9 PM – 6 AM
    Sun. March 22:     9 PM – 5 AM

The bridge will open to the public sometime in May.

For more information on the project, click HERE.