Calatrava Bridge

This bridge is one if only four that cross the Grand Canal in Venice. It is the first Grand Canal bridge built since 1934, was designed by Spanish "starchitect" Calatrava, and opened in 2008. The new bridge connects the island with the bus terminal and that with the railway station, so a huge percent of locals and visitors use it daily. It has been very controversial for a number of reasons, including cost, need, location, durability, and most of all, design. One of the biggest criticisms was the lack of disabled access due to the stairs. While almost every other Venetian bridge has steps, it was felt that newly built bridges should be accessible. The solution was to hang this pod contraption on a railing off one side of the bridge. It holds a wheelchair and has a lift at either end. It seems to be out of order right now, so it wasn't clear to us if it can be totally user-operated or if it requires an attendant. In any case, disabled people aren't the only ones that would have benefitted from a design without stairs: we watched lots of people struggle with suitcases, strollers, cargo carts, etc. And Devin laughed at me a couple times when I got tripped up...the steps are all the same rise/run except for a few seemingly randomly placed steps that are double the depth. If you aren't watching, you expect to step down again and then your foot lands at the same elevation.