My 2 Cents: Problems with Skydance Pedestrian Bridge

Done right it could be that unique piece that would make Oklahoma City's instantly recognizable, but there's a problem, a very expensive problem with Oklahoma City's anticipated Skydance Pedestrian Bridge.

Tuesday, October 26th 2010, 12:28 am

By: News 9


By Kelly Ogle, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Done right it could be that unique piece that would make Oklahoma City's instantly recognizable, but there's a problem, a very expensive problem with Oklahoma City's anticipated Skydance Pedestrian Bridge.

It's a magnificent design by the same talented architects who created the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

A suspension bridge, spanning the new I-40, a football field and a half long, supported by an 8 story stainless steel wrapped structure resembling the tail of a scissor tailed fly catcher.

Imagine it in the foreground of a photo of Oklahoma City's skyline, including the colossal now under construction Devon Tower.

But the bridge is going to cost a lot more than expected.

In fact the Skydance has skyrocketed from $5.2 million to $12.8 million dollars.

Structural load requirements have increased, the bridge had to be moved a shade, and Buy American provisions have all driven the price up.

On Tuesday city engineers will recommend that the city council alter the bridge to a regular truss bridge, not a cabled suspension bridge. Not great, but the crossed spires would remain.

Even then it will cost $1.6 million more than originally thought.

It needs to be done right, let's see what the redesign looks like before going cheap on it.

Leave Kelly Your 2 Cents, tell us where you're from, and he could read your comments on air.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

October 26th, 2010

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024