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historic aircraft on display in Pearson Air Museum
beginning of sunset from Vancouver Lake Park
sign: Vancouver Army Barracks dates from 1849
Vancouver Land Bridge: plants, gates, plazasVancouver Land Bridge
In the years leading up to the bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark expedition, there were a number of improvement projects that were proposed along the Columbia River in order to give people access to historic locations and to memorialize those who came before us (both Europeans and Native Americans).
Various groups were involved in a commissioning of artist Maya Lin for seven of those projects, of which this was one. The set of seven is called the Confluence Project (see web site below).
Fort Vancouver had long ago been cut off from the river that once provided it with vital transportation and its very reason for existing. One major highway including extensive ramp material for a major junction, plus a very busy railroad line, plus a much smaller road, made life very interesting in terms of designing and constructing this series of ramps, bridge, tunnel and walkway.
Among the unique features of the structure, the "land bridge" concept includes the planting of plants along the bridge, including over the traffic lanes. The result is a merciful muffling of traffic noise that goes under the bridge. The idea was to give the impression of the land linking the fort and the river again.
While it was not completed in time for the 2005 anniversary of the Lewis & Clark expedition due to its complexity, it is as of today complete. It provides its intended purpose for connecting Fort Vancouver and the Vancouver waterfront trail in excellent at graceful fashion (graceful for a monumental concrete structure anyway) and as a plus provides much improved access to Old Apple Tree Park.
Several small plazas along the bridge allow for viewing Fort Vancouver from a unique perspective, and as a place for historical educational signs.
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