I find it interesting that it has a wood deck. I don't know if that is bad or good but I'm surprised since it was changed to allow for maintenance vehicles to use as well as pedestrians.

A lot of county bridges have wood decks, i'd go with it being permanent.

The vehicles are basically one or two noches above golf carts or ATV's. Their not going to be big at all.

Think Brooklyn Bridge = wood deck. It feels nicer to me being wood, although I thought they would have at least used the fake stuff so it lasted longer. If you go to Yellowstone, they replaced ALL of the decking at the geysers and pools and whatnot with the fake stuff so it wouldn't rot in the high moisture environment.

I have no problem with the wood deck, I was just surprised that it was used.

The vehicles are basically one or two noches above golf carts or ATV's. Their not going to be big at all.

If a golf cart is all it needs to support, there would have been absolutely no reason to have changed the structure from what was orginally proposed.

No reason other than the Feds absolutely required the change. Hard to blame that on ODOT.

If a golf cart is all it needs to support, there would have been absolutely no reason to have changed the structure from what was orginally proposed.

Don't think it is literally golf carts, but repair vehicles. Weight could be much greater.

No reason other than the Feds absolutely required the change. Hard to blame that on ODOT.

These are not the facts you are looking for: http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-7098-the-oklahoma-city-council-is-amending-the-skydance-bridge-design-after-cost-projections-doubled.html

In a later Oklahoman article the ODOT rep said the federal regulations were their basis for objecting to the original design.

I find it interesting that it has a wood deck. I don't know if that is bad or good but I'm surprised since it was changed to allow for maintenance vehicles to use as well as pedestrians.

I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina in may of 2010 and they have a famous pedestrian bridge called the "Woman's Bridge" they i was able to see and go across. The reason i am saying this is because, if i remember correctly, the floor of the bridge was wood also. The bridge design itself is actually similar to the SkyDance Bridge. When i first say the SkyDance bridge it immediately reminded me of the Womans Bridge in Buenos Aires.

http://www.argentour.com/images/puerto_madero_puente_de_la_mujer.jpg
http://www.constructionphotography.com/ImageThumbs/A168-01075/3/A168-01075_Puente_de_la_Mujer_Womans_Bridge_situated_in _the_old_harbour_Puerto_Madero_Buenos_Aires_Argent ina_So.jpg

Looking west towards the Skydance Bridge over the new 40:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayneshots/6781933301/in/photostream/

Forgive my laziness in not sifting through the thread, but is the end intention to have the structure illuminated every evening or just special occasions?

I think it will ultimately be illuminated nightly, but for the present time there is not even permanent electrical service.

They will probably reserve the wilder light shows for special occasions.

Thanks Pete. I keep driving by hoping that it will be lit-up... Someday :P

Got someone to drive my car while I did one final shot of the skyline along the old I-40. I also had them get on at Western and got a shot along the new one.

Got someone to drive my car while I did one final shot of the skyline along the old I-40. I also had them get on at Western and got a shot along the new one.

Now THOSE are some views that I am going to miss.

Embed code isn't working.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gARi_m5VSOg

Will, again, great work.

I wonder why the Oklahoman hasn't done a detailed updated story on it yet.

I wonder why the Oklahoman hasn't done a detailed updated story on it yet.

What kind of a detailed update are you looking for? Is there something new happening that we need to be advised about?

About the timeline for official completion, why it's not lit up, when will it be lit up, will it be open to pedestrians soon, and when? Will it be closed off until the park is done? And other fine details about it that have not been answered. This is a pretty high profile project with very little fanfare in the local media, but hey someone has to report about grass fires in Ohio or a panda being born at an out of state zoo.

What does "Pret hih" mean?

I think it will ultimately be illuminated nightly, but for the present time there is not even permanent electrical service.

Which is kind of weird, isn't it? Are the freeway lights not on yet? I haven't driven it at night, so I don't know. I guess I assumed that there would be lights on it when it opened and that once there are lights on the road, it would be easy to get juice to the bridge...

The whole area around the bridge -- including sidewalks that lead up to it -- are very far from finished.

They really rushed to get the bridge installed before traffic started flowing on the new I-40. Keep in mind that even main thoroughfares like Robinson are not complete in that area. There is still lots to do independent of the freeway, as you can see from one of Will's photos from a couple of days ago that I cropped:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/skydance13012.jpg

About the timeline for official completion, why it's not lit up, when will it be lit up, will it be open to pedestrians soon, and when? Will it be closed off until the park is done? And other fine details about it that have not been answered. This is a pretty high profile project with very little fanfare in the local media, but hey someone has to report about grass fires in Ohio or a panda being born at an out of state zoo.

While this is of great interest here, I suspect that the general public might actually be more interested in grass fires in Ohio and newborn out of state pandas. LOL

I would also be willing to bet that more than half of the residents in OKC don't even know that this bridge exists even if that will change eventually. I'm certainly not saying that updated information shouldn't be reported just that for many it's not the priority that we may think it is.

An Op-Ed piece in the DOK this morning brought up something I haven't really thought much of since moving down here, but it was good. It calls into question what measures and systems are in place on the main artwork to prevent falling ice during the winter (well normal winters) onto I-40 and the pedestrians themselves. Have seen this many times up north with large bridges having to close to incorporate heating systems to keep cables and metal structures ice free to prevent damaging falling ice.

Could be interesting if we got an ice storm like a few years back with a 2 inch glaze. Could very well shut down I-40 until they deiced the structure. Unless of course there is already a system in place.

An Op-Ed piece in the DOK this morning brought up something I haven't really thought much of since moving down here, but it was good. It calls into question what measures and systems are in place on the main artwork to prevent falling ice during the winter (well normal winters) onto I-40 and the pedestrians themselves. Have seen this many times up north with large bridges having to close to incorporate heating systems to keep cables and metal structures ice free to prevent damaging falling ice.

Could be interesting if we got an ice storm like a few years back with a 2 inch glaze. Could very well shut down I-40 until they deiced the structure. Unless of course there is already a system in place.

I read that, and my first thought was, you better stay home and not drive under any bridge or overhead sign anywhere in town then.

This reminds me of the 'cash register' looking building in Denver that had all of the problems of ice and snow coming down on the people on the street, and yes they did have to install heating elements to cure the problem.

Embed code isn't working.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gARi_m5VSOg

Here you go, Will. Great work!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gARi_m5VSOg

It was funny seeing your vehicle being passed by a motorboat at 4:31.

I read that, and my first thought was, you better stay home and not drive under any bridge or overhead sign anywhere in town then.

This reminds me of the 'cash register' looking building in Denver that had all of the problems of ice and snow coming down on the people on the street, and yes they did have to install heating elements to cure the problem.

I think it is a legitimate concern. I read about some new $200 million bridge in Ohio that is the newer cable variety and they had to keep closing the interstate due to chunks of ice falling of the cables. I believe they had to spend the money to heat the cables to keep them from icing up. You would think we would see this issue with signs and such, but doesn't really seem to happen that much. A structure like that over the bridge probably has an easier time accumulating ice that can form "chunks" easier than a flat sign.

I think it is a legitimate concern. I read about some new $200 million bridge in Ohio that is the newer cable variety and they had to keep closing the interstate due to chunks of ice falling of the cables. I believe they had to spend the money to heat the cables to keep them from icing up. You would think we would see this issue with signs and such, but doesn't really seem to happen that much. A structure like that over the bridge probably has an easier time accumulating ice that can form "chunks" easier than a flat sign.

I say lets live wire that dude with 220...... solves 3 problems.. ice, birds and people............jk

An Op-Ed piece in the DOK this morning brought up something I haven't really thought much of since moving down here, but it was good. It calls into question what measures and systems are in place on the main artwork to prevent falling ice during the winter (well normal winters) onto I-40 and the pedestrians themselves. Have seen this many times up north with large bridges having to close to incorporate heating systems to keep cables and metal structures ice free to prevent damaging falling ice.

Could be interesting if we got an ice storm like a few years back with a 2 inch glaze. Could very well shut down I-40 until they deiced the structure. Unless of course there is already a system in place.

This concern has been brought up several times throughout the thread, however I don't think we've got a definitive answer yet. I'm sure they have thought of it though. Honestly it may not be that big of a deal or worth the expense, I mean we get what 2-3 days of ice every couple years? It's not like we are in a place than gets extensive ice/snow every year for days on end.

This concern has been brought up several times throughout the thread, however I don't think we've got a definitive answer yet. I'm sure they have thought of it though. Honestly it may not be that big of a deal or worth the expense, I mean we get what 2-3 days of ice every couple years? It's not like we are in a place than gets extensive ice/snow every year for days on end.

True...but its just going to take one chunk of ice falling through a windshield of a mom driving her baby on the way home from the doctor after losing her job and ....well you get the idea LOL...making it on TV. Of course there should be some lanes they can keep open should the need arise.

Nothing that outriggers with chicken wire wouldn't take care of...:bright_id

True...but its just going to take one chunk of ice falling through a windshield of a mom driving her baby on the way home from the doctor after losing her job and ....well you get the idea LOL...making it on TV. Of course there should be some lanes they can keep open should the need arise.

My car has been hit by ice falling off of an overhead sign on the freeway before. It wasn't anything major but it happens and is just a road hazard that can't always be prevented. If any ice fell from that structure most of it would fall on the bridge itself instead of the freeway. If any pedestrians are brave enough to be out walking on the bridge in those kind of conditions a simple sign saying to watch our for falling ice should suffice.

My car has been hit by ice falling off of an overhead sign on the freeway before. It wasn't anything major but it happens and is just a road hazard that can't always be prevented. If any ice fell from that structure most of it would fall on the bridge itself instead of the freeway. If any pedestrians are brave enough to be out walking on the bridge in those kind of conditions a simple sign saying to watch our for falling ice should suffice.

My car was hit by ice (hail stones) last summer and that sucked too.......nothing I could do about it.

My car was hit by ice (hail stones) last summer and that sucked too.......nothing I could do about it.

That's not really the same thing as ice from a 180 foot bridge...considering its coming from thousands of feet up. SMH.

That's not really the same thing as ice from a 180 foot bridge...considering its coming from thousands of feet up. SMH.

I was being a smartazz.............btw

I was being a smartazz.............btw

BTW.....me too!!! Lol

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6831615831_5717b9c17e_b.jpg

The essence of COOL ! What a great shot OGtS.

Thanks. Guess I'll throw up the other one.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6839179949_835fc6fde2_b.jpg

From this blurb in Steve's 2/11 article it sounds like turning on the lighting is on indefinite hold:


The bridge is set to open in April, with sidewalks or trails leading up to the span from both sides of the highway. The bridge's multicolored LED lighting was on display New Year's Eve, but no plan is in place for future lighting.

Read more: http://newsok.com/downtown-oklahoma-city-abuzz-with-building/article/3648172#ixzz1m5qgeMbq

What a jip!

Why?

Well that's disappointing.

Well that's disappointing.

Seems to be the M.O. From the council lately

Mo?

Modus operandi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modus_operandi

Modus operandi

Ah, gotcha! Unfortunately, I must agree.

In case you guys missed it (I think it was in The Gazette), the city's finance director is predicting some major budget issues for OKC in the very near future. Despite OKC's good economic performance thus far, operations cost is set to outpace revenue very soon and they're trying to figure out how to raise more revenue.

I think we're likely going to see cutbacks and delays of certain projects. I don't know if this is a direct result of that or not. It could be just that turning on the lights isn't a priority right now or they're waiting for completion of other projects before they make it fully operational.


Update: Here's the story I was referring to. http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-14327-the-gap-trap.html

That is not a major issue. 17 mil out of a 900+ mil budget

I guess I'm old fashioned and still think $19 million is a lot money regardless of the total budget size. That $19 million could have a real, noticeable impact if it has to be cut. Furthermore, if you look at the graph accompanying the article, the trend lines don't look too good. Hopefully the economy will continue to gain steam and the trend lines will invert.

This is what happens when you spread your service area across 680 sq miles.

Agree and it isn't anything new...we have seen similar in the past...by law they have to have a balanced budget so they will either figure out a way to increase revenues more than what is already happening or cut costs in some way or a combo.

A podcast of a KTOK interview with the designers of the SkyDance Bridge aired on 2-12-2012

http://www.ktok.com/player/?station=KTOK-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=GwinnFaulconerLippert.xml&mid=21816951

A great many answers to the speculation on this thread straight from the designer's mouths in that Podcast you posted.

Thanks for that link, o'casey. It was very interesting to listen to Butzer and Carroll.

They did say there will be a formal dedication "later this spring" when all the sidewalks and landscaping are complete and that they should have permanent electrical service (the previous lighting was all done on generators) and they hope to have all the lighting fired up by that time.

Can you imagine, if you were just passing through in the middle of the night and not knowing that this bridge exists, driving under this art object with the full light show in force, just how cool that would be.....

Quite a treat and great publicity.

Here a couple of screen captures for ODOT's video of 2/10:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/skydance21012a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/skydance21012b.jpg

Curious, but was it ever explained why this doesn't span the entire highway or why they didn't put it in the middle?

Just seems odd.