Dallas is no stranger to the striking, sculptural works of Santiago Calatrava. Back in 2012, the city was given its first taste of the world-renowned architect’s distinctive style with the arrival of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, an iconic cable-stayed structure spanning 1,200 feet across the Trinity River. Now, Calatrava is back, and he is building bridges once again: last month, the first of two soaring arches framing the architect’s second major infrastructure project topped out, bringing it one step closer to completion.
The new Margaret McDermott Bridge – named after the philanthropist who donated seed funds for the project – is designed to carry the 13-lane I-30 highway across the water, together with integrated pedestrian and cycle routes. The defining feature of the scheme is a pair of 275-foot-high white steel arches, which will support the footbridges either side of the roadway and create a second distinctive silhouette along Dallas’ evolving riverfront.
The bridge forms part of a much larger regeneration scheme for this key part of the city, entitled the Trinity River Implementation Plan. Rather than proposing a single bridge, Calatrava identified the need for a unified approach along the riverfront, conceiving a green parkway that includes a series of green spaces, lakes, and recreational amenities all linked together with convenient, walkable routes.
The hope is that by establishing a single strategy for improving urban infrastructure for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, Dallas as a whole will be made safer, more accessible, and less congested for all. If successful, the city’s ambitious $798 million Horseshoe Project could serve as a precedent for many other American cities looking to improve their infrastructure through smart investment in roads, bridges, and connecting public spaces.
The Margaret McDermott Bridge is set for completion in the summer of 2017.