Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), in partnership with the National Capital Commission (NCC), have a vision that the new signature bridge will be a sustainable transportation connection, promoting active travel and transforming it into a unique civic place, respectful of the integrity of the national capital’s cultural landscape.
Working as an integrated project team with PSPC and the NCC, Arup is the technical advisor for the Alexandra Bridge replacement project. Arup will be developing bridge design options which will be further developed and taken forward into construction. Our multidisciplinary team is providing support in the areas of planning, heritage preservation, urban design, sustainability, impact assessment, procurement, and delivery.
The new bridge over the Kichi Zībī (the Algonquin name of the Ottawa River) will offer an opportunity to serve as a model for sustainability and to play its part in connecting current and future generations. Its design process is made all the more comprehensive drawing inspiration from Indigenous cultures and Western perspectives in the heart of Canada’s capital city.
Inspired by the past and designed for the future
First opened in 1901, the existing bridge spans the Ottawa River connecting pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists from Ottawa, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec in Canada’s two most populous provinces. It is also a key part of the Confederation Boulevard ceremonial route through the heart of the nation’s capital. With the old bridge having reached the end of its life cycle, the sustainable design of the new bridge is an opportunity to reconnect with the river and the land, and to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists and views of the surrounding natural landscape.
Inspired by the past and designed for the future, the new bridge will strive to respond to the challenge of both becoming an enduring landmark while recognizing and respecting Indigenous communities and those who have inhabited the land more recently.
As an early adopter of Envision—a sustainability framework and rating system designed to help infrastructure stakeholders implement more sustainable, resilient, and equitable projects—Arup aims to deliver projects that benefit its users, enhance local biodiversity, and incorporate sustainable development principles. The project’s sustainable design and construction that includes the dismantling of the old bridge, will be in line with the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, which outlines the Government of Canada’s sustainability priorities, goals and targets that also aim to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.