The Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge officially opened October 15, 2020. The new bridge and the arterial road connections includes on-street bike lanes and a separated, parallel 3 metre-wide multi-use pathway.
The extension of James Walker Trail from Riviera Way through to Highway 22 will be constructed later, depending on the timing of the South Bow development.
Council voted April 8, 2019 to approve Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge as the name of Cochrane’s new bridge.
Jack Tennant was one of Cochrane’s most involved residents who dedicated his life to building bridges between people and communities. He was the founder and publisher of the Cochrane Eagle, a photojournalist, columnist, involved AA community member, committed philanthropist and honourary member of the Stoney Nakoda nation. Tennant died in 2018.
the deck is about 14m above the normal water level in the river at its highest point
the deck is inclined up from the arena side toward the east at 3%
two 3.5m-wide traffic lanes with a 1.5m-wide bike lane on each side
3m-wide regional pathway on the south side of the bridge separated from the traffic by a solid concrete barrier
Major construction materials:
total mass of the steel plate girders = about 500,000 kg
total mass of rebar = about 250,000 kg
total volume of concrete = about 1,750 cubic meters
Description
The Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge opened on schedule Oct 15, 2020. This second crossing over the Bow River is a critical priority for the Town of Cochrane and Town Council and is part of a bigger project to connect the north and south sides of Cochrane.
Phase one: reconstruction of Griffin Rd from Griffin Industrial Pt to Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC). Completed in 2018.
Phase two: connection from SLSFSC to the new bridge to River Heights Dr, including roundabout connections to future developments. On time to be completed fall 2020.
Phase three: extension of James Walker Trail from River Heights Dr to Southbow, in conjunction with the Southbow Landing development. To be scheduled
This map shows the general location of the new bridge and alignment of the proposed James Walker Trail corridor (alignment will be finalized as part of the ongoing detailed design).
The bridge is being designed as a three-span bridge with a single pier in the river, and the second pier adjacent to the river. The outer spans will be about 51m (165 ft) each with the central span being about 58m (190 ft). The piers have been designed with two columns to improve visibility for users beneath the bridge and the overall bridge aesthetics.
Conceptual rendering of the bridge at its actual location and design elevation.
Conceptual illustration of the bridge design. In addition to two traffic lanes, the bridge includes bike lanes and a separated, 3 metre-wide multi-use pathway. A large lookout area above the eastern pier can be used to by cyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the view of the river.
The south side of the Bow River is experiencing significant changes: stripping and grading for Precedence (new community), the start of bridge construction, the relocation of gravel pit operations and preparation for the new gravel extraction area.