Some Cuteness In The New Year

My car sometimes just takes control and heads me randomly in one direction. It did that on Monday. When I decided that it was really time to stop, my car was at the parking lot to the Ron Kirk Bridge, formerly known as the old Continental Bridge before the Margaret Hunt Hill was built. On good weather days, the crowds are usually pretty good if you are going to shoot weather shots for the Live Feeds or have some editorial shots as a group. Such was how the day went. I had 11 images running on the live feed the past 48 hours and I really enjoy spotlighting Dallas when I can.

Family of Cowboy Fans save #84. A hold out as a Pittsburgh Fan

Two bull dogs taking their owners for a walk.

The Skyline Trail along the Trinity and crosses under the Ron Kirk Bridge Park . It runs both sides of the river from Sylvan Avenue to I-30 and the Margaret McDermott Bridge that will have a pedestrian bike access suspended under the bridge as the southern cross over. The old Sylvan Avenue bridge is the northern crossover point. It is a little over 4 miles long for both sides of the river.

Maggie 2 Update

It's been a while since this photographer was actually on site at the Maggie 2. One, it's been two wet and two, nothing exciting was taking place after the first, or south, arch was in place. While there has been some street photography from the Continental bridge park, keeping an eye on the Maggie 2 was also happening. As in any major construction project, things do not happen by logic. They happen as a result of logic. Upon closer examination of some old shots, it was clear that the cables had not been hung or were in the initial stages of being hung on the south arch. Logical; necessary, but non-glamorous for the camera's eye.

It now appears that some of the basic prep work is now happening on the north arch and things are beginning to get exciting once again as the second arch takes shape and changes the skyline once again. One must also remember that the work on the Maggie 2 will be much different than on the Maggie 1 in as much as the design is fundamentally different (Maggie 1 is a cable stayed bridge) and the Maggie 2 will have features of a suspension bridge. There is a big difference in the two structural designs. Needless-to-say, there is at least another years work on the bridge give or take a month or two--or three! But, also remembering the good point is going to be a pedestrian and bike section on the Maggie 2 that is not allowed on the Maggie 1.

So, here are a few 'at distant' shots of the Maggie 2 (Margaret McDermott Bridge).

Maggie 2 with the north transition piece in place

The next pieces are in position to be lifted and rest on the blue towers until  cabled.

The cables on the south arch running from top to bottom under the arch to the bridge decking.

Maggie 2 Update

The Margaret McDermott Bridge on I-30 crossing the Trinity River. This is the second Signature Bridge as part of the Trinity Corridor Project.

The construction of the Margaret McDermott (Maggie 2) is moving along about the same pace as when the Margaret Hunt Hill (Maggie 1) was under construction. Crews were working. The work field is mired in mud with all the rain that has been falling and the melting of the snow and ice. Also, I was rather taken aback when I finally realized that the final height of the center arch was a bit lower than I first thought. While the Maggie 1 risers to 400 feet above the Trinity, Maggie 2 will not be that tall. It is estimated to be 250 feet above the Trinity, some 150 feet less than the Maggie 1, but still a significant and respectable height.

With the weather being cold, blustery and damp, attending the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Greenville was passed up for the second year in a row. After lunch my prescriptions were ready for pick up. While out, I drove down to the bridge, which looks almost like it did last week. Then, I took Beckley to Zang Avenue to Bishop Street. The trolley lines are nearly ready. The station drop-off and pick-up points now have the weather and wind shield covers in place.

On the way over, I was wondering with the festive mood going on in Lower Greenville, if the Bishop Arts District would be rather down in attendance. Much to my surprise, the crowds were big, the lines were long and parking was just as bad as in Lower Greenville. It was encouraging for city growth to see both areas "going strong". It also occurred to me that the Dart Trolley would probably get used a lot.Current thinking is that the trolley would be full most of the time if not all the time. Lower Greenville doesn't have that service and it wouldn't take much to run the Trolley from City Place down Henderson to Greenville. Since Klyde Warren Deck Park was so successful, and with the extension of the trolley lines along both ends of the park the "M" is going to have more riders this summer than expected, I bet. Remember also, it isn't that far to the Perot Museum, either.

All-in-all, Dallas has it together and is showing signs that make economics fun. The amount of  construction going on is really amazing, especially in roadways, airports, public transportation. The Trinity Corridor was, without doubt, the development catalyst equal to what DFW was for the city.

Birth of Maggie 2 Has Occured

This is the third day in a row that I have gotten  multi-mile walks done. My strength seems to be coming back as well and I am happy about that. It's been a long journey getting back to as normal as I can remember. My primary care physician and my cardiologist are to thank for most of my good health return.

So, with spring-like temperatures back in north Texas, and two previous days of successful walks, I set out on the longest of the walks.  I drove out Mockingbird to Singleton Blvd. to the base of the Maggie 1 (Margaret Hunt Hill) Bridge to the plaza parking lot. I dreaded going down the steep ramps because the last time I tried to walk it, the grade was a bit of a strain on my cardio system. But, deciding that I would worry about that on the return trip, down the ramp I went. It took me about one-half hour to walk under the Maggie 1, the Union Pacific railroad bridge, the Commerce Street bridge and finally arriving at the I-30 bridge construction site. I felt pretty good too. One of the project engineers was on site with his family and we talked about the project for a bit before they headed out and I started to shoot the site. It was a perfect day with great sun angles and blue sky and most of all--a very light breeze.The flags flapped in the breeze in slow motion. Perfect!

It is amazing how what you learned from shooting Maggie 1 and can now be seen talking shape on nearly the same time table as before. I had estimated that the first arch piece was due to be fitted somewhere around this weekend and sure enough, as I got closer and could see the abutment transition base, it was obvious that the first piece was in place. The engineer said that the next four pieces were on site. This bridge, while totally different than Maggie 1, is still a massive construction project and the arches are as massive as the arches on the Maggie 1. The excitement could be felt building the longer that I was on site because I have always enjoyed big construction projects like these from a very early age. There is just something about how things come together and in a prescribed amount of time, bingo! you have a finished project and move on to the next one.

There were several photographers at the site on and off, This bridge will get more attention more quickly because it was easier seen from present day I-30 whereas on Maggie 1, the extension of the Woodall Rodgers had to be built and tied into Singleton Blvd that wasn't near as built up as it is today. And, people have had time to learn about the projects and build their own kind of curiousness. The opening of the Trinity Skyline Trail and the Santa Fe Trestle Trail have added much awareness to the project.

Therefore, Maggie 2 is born and can only grow out of the Terra firma  taking its bends from the abutment transition base skyward as it eventually will draw to completion in another  landmark architecture in the form of another bridge. Dallas is a bridge building city without question. By TxDot counts there are some 5000 plus bridges in the Dallas area. It is no wonder that Dallas now will have two remarkable landmarks as bridges. From the early days of the first Dallas TV series when the aerial shot came over downtown and headed out over all the bridges going away from downtown into historic archives, It's going to be interesting to see where the Maggie 1 and the Maggie 2 turn up in future television episodes of any kind.

The birth of the bridge as the first arch piece rises from the abutment transition base.

This is the third abutment transition base, Number 2 is curing at present having been poured already.

The Trinity River Corridor Glows Again

It was plain to see that the interest in the Maggie 2 Bridge (Margaret McDermott) is drawing visitors during the early construction more rapidly than the Maggie 1 (Margaret Hunt Hill) did. That, within itself is a testament to the Maggie 1 Project. After people saw what the building of a prized bridge could do as far as community and economic benefits, it was only natural that the crowds would come early on to witness the uprising from the trenches into that glorious Santiago Calatrava design of architectural form. The interesting part is that the first pieces of the double aches have not even been shipped from the fabricator.The other point to consider in the early crowds is that during this bridge construction, there is the new Trinity Skyline Trail that was non existent during the building of Maggie 1.

In as much as Interstate 30 will ferry visitors between AT&T Stadium in Arlington and downtown Dallas, if for nothing more than commuting between a hotel room and the stadium, it would be worth it all. The impression with the remake of the mix-master into the horseshoe will give a more refined coat for the city to wear. There is no question in my mind that the Trinity River Corridor Project was and will be the place to add growth investment for the city. After all, it is only following what mother nature put down eons ago and the city discovered with vision and astute planning, even though the naysayers were screaming at every turn. It was the right decision folks. It really was. I only wish that I was going to be around in thirty years with the same energy that I have today to rejoice with the city for making their dreams come alive despite the negativeness that others were trying to white-wash  as a , "I told you so" party that they will never have.

 Over the years, I have seen cities developed good plans and I have seen cities develop bad plans. I have seen even rock-hard cities like Detroit fall into the gloom of despair. But, Detroit will come back again with vision and planning. It always works. The key to any city is in the elected and the paid visionaries.For visions are the eyes of  new vistas. Dallas took a river and a forest and turned it into the second most powerful economic engine outside of DFW International.

Former Mayor, Ron Kirk (1995-2002)  fired up the engine that we know today. We were lucky to have Former Mayor Laura Miller follow Mayor Kirk and even more lucky to have Former Mayor Tom Leppert to follow. Dwaine Caraway keep the fires burning after Mayor Leppert stepped down. The legacy of Mayor Mike Rawlings is still being written, but I don't see the blazing economic engine that moved this city down the road like it was moving. But, we shall see in time. Don't get me wrong. Mike Rawlings has had his plate full. Long have I preached that Fair Park needed attention. It's getting it now. South Dallas is finally getting the attention that they deserve and will get much more through the Trinity River Project than they suspect will happen. The spin offs will bloom in south Dallas and Oak Cliff. The train is still on time. Don't give  up, south Dallas. Don't ever give up!

As a foot note here, the new radar unit that measures the down river discharge rate that the United States Geological Survey had installed is now up and running with all its wires connected.  Thanks to the USGS office in Austin and the field office in Ft. Worth. I had listed an image with my agent and after talking with the USGS after they reviewed the image, ask that it be withheld until the wiring was complete. I am happy to report.... It's a GO!! Thanks to every one in the office for their great informative discussion on what the unit did and how it worked and how it can be viewed on the USGS web page daily. Now, we just need the rain so that I can check out the log reports.

The Radar unit measures the rate of discharge going downstream. The reports can be seen on the USGS website under water management.

Maggie 1 as seen from the new Maggie 2. That is # 11, grade 60 rebar there on the ground. It ain't no # 3 pool rebar!

Here goes another skyline change for Dallas! Where else can you see a bass fishing boat, complete with outboard motor  hanging from a crane eclipsing both the Bank of America Building and Reunion Tower?

Maggie One and Maggie Two

When the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge was announced several years ago, one thinks what's in the name? In this case it was a Hunt as in Hunt Oil or the patriarch of the Hunt family and beautiful Mt. Vernon ( an exact duplicate of the original) home at White Rock Lake.  But admittedly, even with searching for some help, when the second bridge was announced and the name was Margaret McDermott, it was a bit more work to burn an image on my mind. Philanthropist. Now it rings a bell.

True, the movers and the shakers of Dallas are all involved with the bridge project as it is part of the Trinity River Corridor Project, a non-profit to development along the Trinity River. And some of those movers and shakers can be found on the board of the Trinity River Corridor Project.

While the Margaret McDermott bridge has been downsized ( it's now, just the Margaret McDermott  bike and pedestrian portion ) and was almost axed when the economy went farther down river, it was saved after TxDOT said that the bridge over I-30 would be built, even if they had to do the engineering. That jolted a few and it wasn't long until a deal was reached to scale back but never-the-less still have Santiago Calatrava design the walkways and bikeways across the second bridge.

 Actually, the feeling is that Margaret McDermott got the better part of the deal in that the bridge is over the Trinity on a major interstate highway. It will have a pedestrian

The unofficial start to work on Maggie Two

The completed Maggie One

Note the angle of the boring on Maggie Two

and bike crossing that Maggie One doesn't have and it will be more in the center of activity when the project is complete. Sometimes, second in number isn't really that bad of a deal.

So, yesterday, while looking at the work that had been done since August when the equipment first appeared on scene, pilings are never a pretty part of the job, but they are the "bedrock" of the project (pardon the pun) the call of the Nikon hit me. When Maggie One was being built, over 100 weekends were spent photographing the construction process. That weighed heavy when the thought of another long-term project registered on the brain. The purpose of the trip yesterday was to stand on the west levee where Maggie One could be seen in its completed state and then look at downtown from where this project was digging into the ground (another non-intended pun) and get a feel if it would be worth the effort.

 There is a whole lot of satisfaction in one of these projects but not a whole lot of money, if any when you factor in gas, time and added dust and dirt to be cleaned from a camera professionally. It does cost money to do one of these things. As my maternal grandmother once told me: "Nothing in life is ever, ever free." She was very right on target and that phrase still rings out in me even today. To document changes in an urban setting can be rewarding. It also can be a drain on emotions, resources of time and money not to mention aches and pains, cuts and scratches. heat stroke and many more.

But, as I stood on the levee looking at the workers going about the daily task of such a project and looking back at Maggie One, then the future Maggie Two, it was realized that I had to give it a shot, or two, since another pun worked its way in the text. While this is kind  of written tongue and cheek, it is urban history that can make a difference, even if that difference is ever so small. Much like the history that answered a question just two years ago about where Air Force One had been parked at Love Field when Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President. It was a photo that gave the answer. An urban photo. Lots was learned in doing the Maggie One Project. Certainly, more can be learned from the Maggie Two. Provided health and money issues remain status quo.

So, Maggie One :  Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (complete and open)
       Maggie Two: Margaret McDermott Bridge ( unofficially under way, August,2013 )


Link: http://dallascityhall.com/committee_briefings/trinity_river.html

Link: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy

12/29/13: correction of omitted text.

Three Stops For A Vulture, A Bridge and A Missouri Football Team

Stop One: Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time is because of the camera. It is amazing how a camera does train you eye to pick up on things long before others. Having my camera in the car, enables me to get a shot that would otherwise be missed altogether.

 

Such was the case this afternoon. After going to the bank, it wasn't two miles before I see this huge bird in my traffic lane. The bird flies from the traffic lane onto the roof of a building being used as a charter school. At the light, I turned, pulled into the side street and parked. The bird wasn't moving. In short, there were two dead squirrels in the traffic lane. Not one, but two! That within itself was unusual but what surprised me most was that it was what I grew up knowing to be a turkey vulture. While they are related to eagles and hawks and falcons, they are not  seen on the ground in the city as much as a hawk or even an eagle or two.
 

Watching the vulture for a while, the bird became very interested in a camera mounted on the side of the building, just below the coping that  the vulture seemed to like. One, he could keep his eye on the carrion and could see me. So when I did start to shoot, he just posed for the camera. I do talk to animals while I shoot them. They understand more than most people think.

 

Stop Two:  After spending nearly two full years and over 100 weekends of following the construction of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, when it was finished, my thoughts were that I would not devote that much time to the second bridge whenever construction started. Today, I went down to see what I could see and try to determine if I had any interest in photographing another long-term construction project. It took about 5-minutes and I was hooked. When these large projects get into your blood, they just seem to call out wherever you are until you can't resist any longer.

 

Stop Three: On the way home, I was just coming up on the Anatole as these 5 white buses with a 6-man motor cycle escort was pulling into the hotel. Making the block and coming back down the service road on the west side of 35E at Market Center, I pulled into the parking lot. The team had unloaded and was inside the hotel. But, I was able to get a shot of the last two buses in the 5-bus lineup. Shortly, the motor cycle guys waited until I passed then pulled in behind me. At the second light, they took off like crazy and headed toward I-30 on Inwood. Hampton Road a mile farther south.   

 

Generally, for all three events, I was in the right spot at the right time again. It was about the same thing a couple of years ago when checking on the trains at Fair Park and the Penn State Athletic Semi pulled into the Cotton Bowl.
 

Since the teams arrival at the Anatole today, I submitted the picture of the buses on a live news feed and the image is running on the 48-hour cycle. Because it is one of the top NCAA football events of the season, I could not withhold the image. It was sports news after all!

Turkey Vulture interested in camera just below on wall

The Hotel Anatole and the Missouri Team

Work on the second Santiago Calatrava Bridge is under way on I-30. When Finished, the bridge will be known as the Margaret McDermott Bridge.