It is the bridge that nobody wants to pay for, yet the discussion around it has continued for 10 years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A pedestrian bridge between Maitland and Lorn has again popped up in plans for the new Cathedral Precinct.
The Diocese of Maitland Newcastle wants the pedestrian bridge to help rejuvenate Maitland CBD.
Maitland City Council thinks the bridge would provide a good access point and promote the river walk as a great exercise route.
Despite the positive discussion, it seems nobody wants to fork out the money to build the structure.
Perhaps the discussion is not about just a bridge, but a question of the future of Maitland CBD.
Most of the major cities of the world have excellent pedestrian connections and walking routes that encourage people to spend their time meandering around the city.
In some places the bridge becomes an attraction in its own right. For example the Millennium Bridge which crosses the Thames in London is a steel suspension structure for pedestrians.
It links two main tourist sites, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern Gallery, and it is packed with pedestrians on most days in the summer.
A bridge at Maitland, whether it be for shared cycle and pedestrian use, could have this same effect on the city and put some vibrancy back into the CBD.
You can’t help but feel an attractive footbridge across the river linking the city centre to Lorn could only be a good thing for the city.
With frustrated residents and traders still calling for stage one of The Levee to be finished after months of botched deadlines, perhaps a bridge is too much to ask for at this stage.