Understandably, pedestrians and the bicycle community want to be separated from motor traffic whenever possible. Reducing the width or number of vehicle lanes on an existing bridge to accommodate a pedestrian walkway is not a safe alternative. Constructing a stand alone bridge exclusively for pedestrians carries a high price tag. Adding or expanding sidewalks to existing vehicle bridges with light weight technology is the ideal solution.
Creative Composites Group offers a number of decking options that can be used to fabricate cantilevered sidewalks. Determining the right choice depends on design criteria that include:
The CCG team uses this information to develop concepts that meet design requirements while optimizing the installed cost.
For wider sidewalks (> 10 ft wide) that do need to support vehicle loads or for longer spans between support members, large, molded FRP deck panel made using vacuum-infusion is the right choice. This manufacturing process permits design features such as cross slope and curbs for managing water to be incorporated into the deck panels. The thickness of the sidewalk panels can be easily designed for longer superstructure spans, reducing the amount of heavy steel underneath. Fewer steel superstructure members combined with lightweight FRP sidewalk panels provides the lowest weight sidewalk. Large panels are quickly installed using light duty equipment on the vehicle bridge.
Lightweight FRP decking and cantilever sidewalks provide a number of value-added advantages including:
To safely accommodate pedestrians, commuters, bicyclists and recreation traffic that need to cross a vehicle bridge, contact us to discuss FRP decking and cantilever sidewalks.