Bridge replacement time for NC 147, American Tobacco Trail

Bridge replacement time for NC 147, American Tobacco Trail

Last week marked the starting line for two construction projects long-awaited in neighborhood and bike/ped activists alike -- both long-planned and delayed, both now hitting key construction milestones at the same time.

First up: The pedestrian bridge over NC 147, the Durham Freeway, near Alston Ave.  An arched bridge was initially installed when the freeway was controversially constructed through largely-black neighborhoods in Hayti; it served to connect two halves of a divided neighborhood with each other and an elementary school.

But it was designed according to the best practices of a generation ago, a concrete-floored structure with not-so-thoughtful opaque metal sides.  (As one design consultant for the future I-40 American Tobacco Trail bridge made indirectly in talking about bridge designs, the goal these days is to create visibility and between such structures and the road beneath, a form of the eyes-on-the-street concept seeking to discourage asocial uses of such public spaces.)

As a result, the bridge has sat closed and unused since 1995, a fairly useless hulk rusting over the freeway.

The replacement: a much more open, visible design, complete with brick decorations at both the north and south sides of the structure. Besides reconnecting a neighborhood directly, the bridge could someday provide better connectivity to a future Alston Avenue rail transit station and planned greenway trails.

The project's cost from low-bidder S.T. Wooten is $1.9 million, down from the $2.2 million estimated construction cost as of last fall. (Design and professional services costs for Stewart Engineering add another nearly $700k to the total.)

NCDOT is using up to $2 million left over from the original construction of the Durham Freeway to support the effort's cost. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO approved another $800k in funding from STP dollars, with the City allocating the remaining $200k in the original project budget.

Overnight road closures on NC 147 (11pm until 5:30am) are necessary to support the removal of the bridge; these started last Tuesday and will continue for another week and a half or so.

But the Durham Freeway bridge isn't the only one getting replaced this spring. City officials are also in the midst of deconstructing the existing but well-past-prime Apex St. bridge over the American Tobacco Trail.

The Apex St. bridge's future was a controversial discussion point for a divided Council in recent years. The bridge provided the main connection between the Forest Hills and St. Teresa's/Southside neighborhoods -- two residential districts divided by race, wealth, and class, and over whether the bridge should be replaced with a structure open to vehicles, a pedestrian-only structure, or removed altogether.

The 1958 structure once carried car as well as pedestrian traffic, but was closed to the former some years ago out of concern over its structural integrity. A 2006 vote saw residents and activists on both sides of the issue speaking out; Council members Clement and Cole-McFadden pressed for a shared state-city effort to replace the bridge with a vehicular bridge, but Council persisted with the recommendation to remove the bridge entirely and just add a new ramp on the trail's east side.

In lieu of the bridge, pedestrians wishing to cross between the two neighborhoods will take the ramp down to the trail and the opposite ramp up -- a detour that, based on comments at public hearings on the project even after the Council vote, still doesn't sit well with some in the community. The ramp parallels a west-side ramp that's been in place throughout the trail's history.

As a result of the construction, the ATT is detoured for several weeks between Apex St. and Enterprise St., with the new east-side ramp facilitating the bypass.

Comments

[anon]

Re: "The bridge provided the main connection between the Forest Hills and St. Teresa's/Southside neighborhoods"
I'd argue that Enterprise Street has always been the main connection between Forest Hills and St. Teresa. Apex St bridge was a roundabout way of getting through when Enterprise was blocked by a train. Now that the tracks have been replaced by the American Tobacco Trail, Apex St bridge is no longer needed for this purpose.

[GreenLantern]

More waste of money just to placate racial and class equity. Both bridges will just serve to make it easier for criminals to hang out (across the freeway), and for criminal elements to push further into the Forest Hill neighborhood. The freeway bridge is particularly interesting given the high-crime hoods they connect, and the fact that their exists Fayetteville Road overpass which can accomplish the same crossover at no additional cost.

[tina]

So what is happening to the metal from the old bridge? I like the changing patina on the old bridge, but understand why a new bridge is needed. It would be cool if the old metal could be turned into a community art project... maybe one of each side of the bridge. Or are they just selling it for scrap to off set cost?

[Moe Rivera]

Green latern= "More waste of money just to placate racial and class equity"-- so your saying that since it's cheaper to divide a community then that is the best solution.? this is the selfishness and small minded thinking that has divided the bull city for so long. Please assert your prejudice (Non-racial) somewhere else, becase your assumption that all people across that bridge are criminals is wrong.

[Dwight]

Any word on the I-40 ATT pedestrian bridge? Last I heard, construction was supposed to begin this Spring - and I can't get word back from the city for any updates. I'm afraid it's fallen in the recession hole.

[GreenLantern]

The community was never divided by the freeway along any racial or demographic lines. There were homes and black-owned businesses that were destroyed to make way for it, but so were all those lost to all the other major highways built around Durham in the mid-20th century. This community remains as it was before the freeway was built, but with just more boarded-up houses and criminal activity. The decay began long before the freeway was built, so it was just a logical extension of urban renewal theory. The freeway excuse has been beaten like a dead cat for so long as the reason why the area east of downtown has fallen on hard times, when it was the result of a cultural and demographic shift during the tumult of the civil rights era that was occuring around the same time.

My main point is that the bridge isn't needed today because Fayetteville Street and Ellis Road provide all the necessary access to either side. Sooooo....it's a waste of money, except for the interest groups the city rolls over for every time they squeal for attention.

It will look nice though and it's better to have removed the old one, but in winter when the leaves have fallen on either side, visitors will still see the same boarded-up houses and teenagers hanging around. Most people will be too afraid to use it for their daily routines.

[Bass]

@ Greenlantern

There you go again. Its funny b/c you CONTRADICT what you've said in previous articles. In the most recent Walmart/Roxboro Rd story you said that Roxboro Rd needs widening, and to undergo a beautification project that would rid itself of ethnic stores, latino signage, shabby looking buildings etc. Basically you feel that appearance is very important in which I do agree to some extent.

But how can you say that about Roxboro Rd but not support this bridge over 147. Afterall, this will be a cosmetic makeover. If you are so caught up in the City's appearance to outsiders wouldn't this be a great symbol. When the Wake County folk come into downtown to visit the DPAC and ATC wouldn't this be noticeable to them? Of course. So what's the problem? Is it b/c its in a predominantly black neighborhood? Why can't they get anything nice. And please don't get into construction of 147 and what it meant to Durham's Hayti district because obviously you're not as knowledgeable as you think. Stick to what you're an expert in. Which is being extremely negative towards Durham's neighborhoods of color. The fact that you have contradicted yourself within just days has reduces your posting credibility.

I agree the surrounding neighborhood has decayed. But are you so certain this bridge won't kick start re-development and restore pride in that area and this city for that matter. You should start to look at things from a larger perspective. Over time, the little things like this bridge are little pieces of a puzzle. A puzzle that may one day change outsider's perception and subsequently increase your property value regardless of where you stay within the city. Maybe I have you all wrong and my apologies if I do but your negativity is totally uncool. Be patient, 40(Southpoint) will get its bridge soon.

[GreenLantern]

@Bass

I haven't contradicted myself in the slightest, nor am I opposed to predominately black or other neighborhoods "getting anything nice". THIS bridge over 147 is a clear cut WASTE OF MONEY when a viable crossing is just yards away. You can't seriously believe it will jump start any kind of positive development anytime soon. And no, I'm not negative to neighborhoods of color. We've done nothing but bend over backwards to transform poor neighborhoods with REAL investment in housing, roads, and redevelopment that have paid real dividends. The money spent on this bridge could have been used to make a real difference in the lives of the people who live next to it. Rather, it's being built as a result of political gamesmanship.

Widening and cleaning up the Roxboro Road area is a far better investment in future prosperity than a useless bridge over 147. The two projects are apples and oranges and don't fit in your quid pro quo argument. Yes, it will be impressive to visitors, but so will having the old bridge removed and sold for scrap, or putting up a nice brick wall like they did for I85.

If you want to spend money on beautification and economic development, do it in a way that has some logical chance of success by following a plan that takes into acount shifting demographics and the needs of local markets and business. Don't just say, let's be fair and give this neighborhood a shiny new bridge that barely gets used and won't add a dime to our economy save the temporary job to build it, just because one that WILL get used is being built across town in a wealthier area.

[Erik Landfried]

OK, let's get through Green Lantern's ridiculous statements first and get them out of the way because I think there is actually one interesting question he poses. First, the thesis that pedestrian bridges make things easier for criminals - is that an opinion or is there some data that could be shared to back that up?

As for the assertion that the decay in the former Hayti neighborhood occurred before the Freeway was built, you'll get no argument here. That's absolutely true. But this is a perfect example why black and white statements like that are really, really dumb. A lot of neighborhoods around downtown, including Hayti, were decaying in the 1950s, true. But the effect was magnified greatly in Hayti because residents and businessowners knew for many years in advance that a freeway was going to cut through their neighboorhood. Would that be a neighborhood you'd want to invest in? Of course not - so the RATE of decay was much higher there than in, say, Trinity Park and that can be attributed to the Freeway.

The difference between Hayti and many of the other neighborhoods in downtown Durham is that the other neighborhoods were at least given a chance to make a comback. There will be no comeback for Hayti. And that is a direct result of the Freeway. That doesn't mean investment couldn't be made to make the boarded-up homes viable again. Whether this bridge will help that happen is another question.

That brings me to the point that I actually do think deserves some discussion. Does rebuilding this bridge in this location this year make sense from a connectivity standpoint? And will that help spur revitalization? I actually do think the artistic component is a pretty strong one. And I think it can be a great connection in the future for a greenway and link to a regional transit stop. But the question of whether this is the right investment right now is actually a pretty good one.

Alston Ave is right there - if you want to improve a pedestrian/bicyclist connection, why not make the improvement there? It would probably be a fraction of the cost and would connect higher density sections of Durham. The old pedestrian bridge was put up a long time ago, apparently in the hope that it could keep the neighborhood connected. Unfortunately too much was destroyed to allow that to happen in any significant way. So is that still the best location for a bridge?

I don't know the answer to that, I haven't seen any studies done, heck, I don't even know if connectivity or revitalization are even part of the reason they are rebuilding the bridge. The regional rail argument is an important one to me, but as Gary likes to hammer home, regional rail is still just an unfunded plan and as much as I believe it will happen, it's not going to happen in the next 10 years. So the "is this bridge needed" question is actually legitimate to me. Thoughts?

[Bass]

@ greenlantern

Fair enough. I see your point and/or understand what your saying. It just seems like your posts have certain undertones thats all. But hey I think its perfectly fine to have disagreements and plus we both ultimately want the same end result for our city.

@ Erik

You raise a good point. Connectivity or revitalization might not be the reason for the rebuilding of the bridge. However I can't help but to think that there is a link between this bridge and our downtown's current revitalization. As far as Alston Ave. is concerned I though that bridge would get a facelift once the 2 lane stretch of Alston gets widened (whenever that happens). Please correct if I'm wrong I may be way off here. Also great points on Hayti I agree wholeheartedly that the decay of Hayti was inevitable but 147 definitely accelerated that process. And you make a great point in stating that the community had no way of recovering once the highway was built.

[Freddie & Heather]

Come on now! This reminds me of the negative posts a few said about the money the city wants to put towards "beautifying" Fayetteville St. A couple thought it was unnecessary because it's not worth putting money in these neighborhoods when in reality, it's those neighborhoods that need the most help! I'm a huge believer in "setting a positive example for others to follow". If we make people have pride for their habitats, they will treat it with pride. If you neglect it, the people will treat it the same way they see the condition it is in.

I'm all for making Durham the place that it has the potential to be as whole...Not some U.S. city where it's divided by class or race.

[GreenLantern]

You all make very good points, and I realize it's too late to stop building this new bridge regardless of the political and social justifications. The city council made a decision to get rid of an eyesore, which everyone knew needed to be done. That's the way things are done in this city and it tends to cost us a lot more than it should. In order to get the ATT bridge over I40 funded, the powers that be played the race and class card so that a similar bridge got built in a poorer part of town. Everyone got something, regardless of whether or not it was justified, and I can't help but think some council members and planners just rolled their eyes when it was passed, and everyone went home satisfied.

We all see the same things at the old bridge as we drive down the freeway, especially when the trees are bared in the winter. We all see the same chemical plant, boarded-up houses, and modest community that needs revitalization and renewal, and at some point given the proximity to Golden Belt, NCCU, and the rail line, plus some help from the FHA, the area will eventually gentrify to some extent while keeping the homes affordable. I hope the new bridge is worth the investment. I also hope some of the nearby residents will have the same value for it once it's put up, when the money could have been used to help fix rooves, replace windows, put in ramps for the handicapped, improve energy efficiency, or just put on a fresh coat of paint. That way, when they see visitors pass by on their way to the DPAC, they'll have the same sense of pride in their properties as we all think they'll see in this shiny new bridge.

[Al Stonbriggs]

From today's H-S...and this is something I've also witnessed that freaked me out (folks crossing 147 on foot)...

Beth Timson, the city's assistant parks and recreation director, sees evidence of demand for the footbridge when she drives down the Durham Freeway, also known as N.C. 147.

"I've seen people crossing four lanes of 147 on foot, myself," Timson said. "And if you drive slowly, you can see a pretty well-beaten path down the bank, across the median and up the other side.

"That's one group I know is going to benefit, those people that actually walk across there now."

While it's only .2 mile, as the car drives, between Alston and the bridge site, it's .7 from the bridge to Briggs (and D.Tech)...again, that's mileage on 147, not on the actual roads to walk from A to B. At a good-to-normal clip that's 20-30 minutes walking. I just wonder if GL's given it a try before poopooing the need or anticipated use of it.

Does anyone use the ped/bike bridge in Raleigh (didn't Meredith College make it nearly impossible/impassable)? When it first opened, the teevee traffic guy (Mark Roberts) would joke about its lack of use. I don't recall any objections to its erection, but it wasn't in the heart of a bisected black neighborhood.

[A]

Fayetteville Street is over 1/2 mile away and not in the midst of residences as is the pedestrian bridge. Pedestrians do use the much closer Alston Avenue bridge where there is no bike or walking lane. This is an overpass much closer to the new foot bridge and to residences and businesses and is a very dangerous place for pedestrians. I have used that overpass/intersection everyday for over 15 years and was delighted to see the new nearby pedestrian overpass, now with its cool lighting scheme.