“Bridge, Abridged” 

Pedestrian Overpass, Calgary, Alberta

City of Calgary Public Art Program, 2007. Concrete, metal, acrylic, paint.

Integrated into a new pedestrian bridge, words and shapes bring to life the engineering principles at work throughout the structure. Forces such as compression, tension and cantilevering are made visible.

This bridge has some unique engineering features. It has no center support between the east and west-bound lanes of traffic. Instead it has a floating center span made of high performance concrete that is supported by the 2 cantilevered side sections, and tension rods connected to counterweights buried deep underground. Without the art, most people wouldn’t be aware of any this.

In addition there is an elementary school adjacent to the site, so the artwork also can be used a teaching tool.

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The word “FLOATING” is painted on the bridge span, defining the section that is suspended over the roadway and resting on the cantilevered sections.  

A standard barrier protects the tension rods on the other side of the bridge. The word “ANCHORING” was embedded into that barrier

The words “CONNECTING, UNITING, VAULTING, ARCHING, SPANNING, LINKING, BRIDGING and JOINING” also accompany people over the main span.

Words were also introduced into the sound wall alongside the bridge.

An interpretive panel explains the engineering and shows how the center span was dropped into place.

The word COMPRESSED is embedded in the bridge pier. An anchor-shaped form surrounds and protects the tension rods that are holding up the bridge from damage from vehicles.

Metal cover plates call out the bridge expansion joints

The word “CANTILEVERED” appears on the railings along the bridge’s the cantilevered sections.

A series of antonyms and synonyms describe the qualities of a wall - and their opposite.