Learning from Richmond

[Metro Jacksonville]

Learning from Richmond



Although Richmond has not put it all together, it has valued the concept of historic preservation. Focusing heavily on working with the existing building fabric to bring back downtown and its urban core neighborhoods.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/662

[Lunican]

This suspended walkway would be cool to have under the Acosta bridge. The only problem is that it would block boats from passing.

[thelakelander]

In Richmond's case, the James River is known as the only spot in the US to go urban white water rafting.  With all the rocks in the river, there are no boats going down it.

[minutesfrommadness]

Fantastic photo - I used to live in The Fan and we would come here in the spring and summer and hang out - it was a lot of fun. snakes though ---eaaak!

[gatorback]

I've never seen such a thing.  I looks scary.  Is something wrong with it toward the middle.  Do many people regional people use the bridge.  Snakes on the bridge? I'm sure I'd never use it.

[Jason]

This suspended walkway would be cool to have under the Acosta bridge. The only problem is that it would block boats from passing.

I could hang much higher under the Acosta.

[bp]

Hi from Richmond!  The pedestrian bridge photo'd is much more safe than it appears in the photo above.  The close-up doesn't show the full span of the footbridge -- it is really long, stretching from the mainland, if you will, to an island in the middle of the James River (Belle Isle).  It is also probably pretty heavy -- the surface is cement, and the bridge is probably a good 8' ft wide (a couple of bikes can ride down in tandem without scuffing handlebars).  Because of its length/weight (I'm guessing this is the reason), rather than being shaped in one monster inverted U, it is a series of less steep inverted U's.  Thus the dip you see is there by design.  I suspect this design had high-volume use in mind -- The island offers a flat trail used by joggers/familes around the perimeter, and some more radical biking trails in the center for those inclined to give them a try; the XTERRA holds triathlon races in the area.  There are also swimming holes off the island, where you can watch kayakers pass by on rapids right off the island.