Walterdale Bridge, Edmonton

The Walterdale Bridge crosses the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta. It is named after John Walter, an early settler who operated a ferry at the same crossing. The new structure, designed by DIALOG, replaces the bridge built in 1912-13.

The span runs some 755 feet and rests on a signature arch rising more than 160 feet, which acts as a gateway to the downtown core. A shared-use path on the east side of the bridge opens the crossing to walkers, runners and cyclists and brings them closer to the River Valley.

The design team specified Kebony Clear decking for the pedestrian path and the bench seating along it. Sean Mahoney, landscape architectural technologist at DIALOG, notes that the timber ties the crossing to the natural river valley and softens the experience for pedestrians. Kebony had already been used in Edmonton on the 170 stairs of the funicular completed in late 2017.