PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

Having an architecturally significant pedestrian bridge can be a unique experience for visitors. People will be more inclined to visit an area with an Instagram-worthy pedestrian bridge. Such bridges can offer skyline views and photo ops, or highlight a unique neighborhood or aspect of your campus or community. The pedestrian bridge may become a destination in and of itself, attracting people to your community just to snap a selfie with your beautiful pedestrian bridge. Adding elements such as street furniture, plantings, and signage can turn the pedestrian bridge into a destination that can put your community on the map.

In recent years, awareness has increased on the importance of infrastructure for pedestrians. Pedestrian bridges are useful additions to the urban environment because they improve the quality of cities by connecting spaces and shortening travel distances. A pedestrian bridge can be beneficial not only to pedestrians but also to cyclists seeking a more environmentally friendly method of transport. 

While large pedestrian bridges can be major tourist draws, pedestrian bridges can also be smaller and more ornamental. A small pedestrian bridge is often used in rain gardens to connect a footpath over a small creek bed that handles rainwater.

Pedestrian bridges often allow pedestrians and bicyclists to cross waterways or railways in areas where there are no nearby roads to necessitate a road bridge. Pedestrian bridges also allow pedestrians to cross roads safely without impacting traffic. When used to separate pedestrians from traffic, pedestrian bridges are often known as pedestrian separation structures, and usually pass above traffic. To accommodate those with disabilities, these types of pedestrian bridges often include an elevator or large ramp.

Pedestrian bridges are less robust than trail bridges, as their location and ease of access makes them easier to maintain. However, as pedestrian bridges are located near traffic, they are still designed for potential accidents with fast-moving vehicles.

A successful pedestrian bridge design offers a reliably safe mode of transit for pedestrians that doesn’t interfere with traffic on roads or waterways. Architects and artists alike have conceived spectacular pedestrian bridges that are marvels of both design and engineering. In fact, in comparison to bridges designed for vehicle use, pedestrian bridges have reduced concerns and requirements, often resulting in more opportunities for stylistic flair in their design.

Bridge Brothers has designed and manufactured a wide variety of pedestrian bridges. Pedestrian bridges are often narrower and shorter than roadway bridges, as they only accommodate walkers, bikers, or the occasional golf cart. This makes pedestrian bridges cheaper than a road bridge. Steel pedestrian bridges with concrete decking are a popular choice for their ease of maintenance. Both painted and weathering finishes are available for steel pedestrian bridges. Using concrete decking on a pedestrian bridge suits bikes, walkers, and small golf carts. Pedestrian bridges work well in suburban or urban environments. 

Pedestrian bridges present many opportunities to add a unique element to your campus or neighborhood. Bridge Brothers can add custom elements such as signage and unique lighting to make your pedestrian bridge stand out and become a positive representation of your community.

Even as focal points, however, pedestrian bridges don’t exist in a vacuum. Considerations need to be made on how the pedestrian bridge is going to connect to existing or planned pathways or pedestrian networks.  If the pedestrian bridge is elevated above the point where it connects to the path, there will need to be stairs, a ramp, or perhaps an elevator to move people vertically up to the pedestrian bridge.

A well-designed pedestrian bridge can be a branding opportunity and a focal point for a community, campus, or neighborhood. Your pedestrian bridge can be an opportunity to showcase innovative solutions in materials, forms, and structures. Bridge Brothers will shepherd your pedestrian bridge through the design, engineering, manufacturing, and installation phases. We will provide you with a turn-key, prefabricated bridge of enduring beauty, strength and durability. 

Constructed from steel or aluminum, our prefabricated pedestrian bridges have several advantages, including low cost, high quality fabrication, and quick and low-impact installation. We can also manufacture your pedestrian bridge in advance of other construction.

Because pedestrian bridge site locations are often over a roadway, railway, or waterway in a constrained urban area, installation can be tricky. Bridge Brothers has experience in pedestrian bridge installation. We will prepare the site conditions for the pedestrian bridge, design the pedestrian bridge structure so that it is light weight and easy to assemble on site, and then install it with minimal impact to traffic.

There are a large number of variables involved in designing pedestrian bridges for new or existing walkway networks. Bridge Brothers has experience with designing, engineering and installing pedestrian bridges in a variety of locations. We can help you make the decision on what type of pedestrian bridge will work best for your area based on cost, style and compatibility with the surroundings.