AFL @ Adelaide's Oval - That time is now.

crows dude

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Has anyone else taking out the Adelaide Oval Football Membership and chosen to pay by installments. I have but installments havent started coming out of my account as yet. They said last week they would.
 

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I hope they aren't going to have vendors on the bridge on match-days. It's too narrow already and will cause a massive bottleneck if 30-50% of the width is lost to vendors and their customers.

Other than footy budget I can't imagine who else they would have. And they wouldn't take up much room. I do wonder about the width of the bridge though, from that overhead shot looks like it might not be enough.
 

AFC3000

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I can guarantee that bridge will never look like that on game day. With people casually strolling into the game. If its anything like Etihad there will be a constant flow of people packed in and trying to get to the other end.
 

DJ75

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Did you guys ever hear the story as to what happened with the design of the bridge.
Two designs were put up. One was really flash - something like you see in Singapore.
The sub committees favoured that one by a mile. It went through two votes, won both easily and was set to be the bridge.
The minister responsible stepped in, said "That bridge is too flashy for Adelaide" and vetoed all other votes.
We now have a boring bridge more suitable for Adelaide.
Classic.
 

jackster83

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Did you guys ever hear the story as to what happened with the design of the bridge.
Two designs were put up. One was really flash - something like you see in Singapore.
The sub committees favoured that one by a mile. It went through two votes, won both easily and was set to be the bridge.
The minister responsible stepped in, said "That bridge is too flashy for Adelaide" and vetoed all other votes.
We now have a boring bridge more suitable for Adelaide.
Classic.
The design they've chosen will be very popular with local graffiti artists. Hard to believe it will cost more than three times the Hindmarsh Island bridge, which was a cost blowout in itself.
 

NTRabbit

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Other than footy budget I can't imagine who else they would have. And they wouldn't take up much room. I do wonder about the width of the bridge though, from that overhead shot looks like it might not be enough.

That bridge is predominantly for people arriving by rail, and to a lesser extent making their way from Hindley St. People arriving via other means will still mainly be using the King William Rd and Frome Rd bridges, or coming from the north, it's not intended or going to take 50% of the crowd.

As for vendors, can't see them allowing any on the bridge itself because it impedes the flow of traffic, but plenty of expensive licenses to operate in the plazas at either end.
 

NTRabbit

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Did you guys ever hear the story as to what happened with the design of the bridge.
Two designs were put up. One was really flash - something like you see in Singapore.
The sub committees favoured that one by a mile. It went through two votes, won both easily and was set to be the bridge.
The minister responsible stepped in, said "That bridge is too flashy for Adelaide" and vetoed all other votes.
We now have a boring bridge more suitable for Adelaide.
Classic.

Are you sure about that?

I recall reading a beat up about how this bridge costs 2/3 as much as an award winning helix bridge in Singapore (totally ignoring economies of scale and location cost differences), but no mention at all of that bridge being proposed for Adelaide, or of ministerial interference.

In fact, Sensational Adelaide postings suggest it was the Adelaide council who had earlier, more adventurous plans dumbed down to the simple flat curve.
 

Paladin

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Did you guys ever hear the story as to what happened with the design of the bridge.
Two designs were put up. One was really flash - something like you see in Singapore.
The sub committees favoured that one by a mile. It went through two votes, won both easily and was set to be the bridge.
The minister responsible stepped in, said "That bridge is too flashy for Adelaide" and vetoed all other votes.
We now have a boring bridge more suitable for Adelaide.
Classic.
Design hasn't changed.

Width got reduced to save money.
 

DJ75

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Are you sure about that?

I recall reading a beat up about how this bridge costs 2/3 as much as an award winning helix bridge in Singapore (totally ignoring economies of scale and location cost differences), but no mention at all of that bridge being proposed for Adelaide, or of ministerial interference.
Absolutely positive. Told by an impeccable source. They couldn't believe what had happened and are still spewing about it.
 

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NTRabbit

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Absolutely positive. Told by an impeccable source. They couldn't believe what had happened and are still spewing about it.

Other sources suggest completely the opposite. My brother knows people who have and are working on the AO projects, I'll ask him.

Contrary to popular belief all the plans and proposals aren't eyes only to 3 Top Men™ in the government, all of the proposals are worked on by architects and firms in conjunction with engineers and their firms, and anything like that would take all of 15 minutes before being leaked by a disgruntled someone.
 

NTRabbit

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Seems like the design brief was for a low visual impact bridge, which is what the design has achieved.

When thinking about it, I can see why that was the brief - a large suspension cable style bridge would have been overpowering on the eyes, and any sort of roof or covering would probably have impeded sight lines and interrupted the flow. Do recall this bridge needs to fit into the architectural aesthetic presented by the new Oval and Tennis buildings, the Festival Theatre, the existing road bridges and the lake, all while keeping access open to water sports.

Design isn't perfect, but it's not bad.
 

NTRabbit

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As a wheelchair user, all I can say to that is, "**** that uphill push".

Pretty much exactly what I was thinking when I said unworkable, albeit I'm not a wheelchair user myself.

I should note that this proposal came from a partnership not specifically invited to tender, and while it was examined properly, it did not proceed further than that.
 

NTRabbit

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Perhaps he's implying people other than football commuters? E.g. city employees etc. Friday nights is late night shopping in the city too.

City commuters are unlikely to use it at all - those on public transport won't get near it, nor will those driving, and the rest already have their choice of four bridges to cross depending which side of the city they're in and heading north from, this new one is unlikely to create a more convenient route for most of them.
 
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