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City embarks on Peace Bridge project: Work begins on new pedestrian bridge

Historic railings to be used: Scheduled for completion in fiscal 2018

by Hisashi Kawate, Staff Writer

On November 13 the City of Hiroshima began work on a new pedestrian bridge to span the Motoyasu River on the north side of the Peace Bridge in the city’s Naka Ward. Intended to relieve congestion on the current walkways, the new bridge will make use of the railings on the Peace Bridge, which were designed by sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988). The project is scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2018.

According to the city, the pedestrian bridge will be 86 meters long and 5.7 meters wide and will be divided into a walkway (3.5 meters wide) and a bicycle lane (2.0 meters wide). No railings will be installed on the side abutting the Peace Bridge. The design of the railings on the opposite side and the color of the bridge’s surface will be decided on in tandem with the construction work in accordance with the views of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation of Japan, which is based in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. Upon completion of the pedestrian bridge, the walkway on the north side of the Peace Bridge will be eliminated and the roadway will be widened.

On the day construction began, a city contractor cut down trees lining the street on the east end of the bridge. In order to create a place to put building materials, the contractor will cut away part of the nearby sidewalk and alter the traffic lanes on the city street. Construction of the ferroconcrete bridge abutment will begin in earnest next month.

The 15-meter-wide Peace Bridge was completed in 1952. At only 1.8 meters wide, the walkways on its north and south sides are narrow and often become crowded, especially in the morning and evening. In fiscal 2008 the city decided to build a pedestrian bridge about 15 meters north of the Peace Bridge and adopted the prize-winning design from an international competition it conducted. But local residents expressed opposition to the plan in part because it called for the elimination of an intersection at the east end of the Peace Bridge. The city put off the start of work on the project, which had been scheduled for fiscal 2011, and abandoned its initial plan, into which it had invested approximately 43 million yen.

The city’s Road Planning Division said it hopes to enhance safety while giving consideration to harmony with the Peace Bridge.

(Originally published on November 14, 2014)

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