Pedestrian Bridge Design

THE PROJECT

Erdman Anthony handled preliminary and final design, as well as construction support and inspection services, for this Locally Administered Federal Aid (LAFA) project. The scope involved constructing a new nonvehicular bridge over the Cayuga Inlet Flood-Control Channel.

Close coordination with regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, was needed to advance the project.

FEATURES/SOLUTIONS

Funded through a TAP grant, the new 200-foot prefabricated truss is founded on reinforced concrete abutments supported on steel H-piles driven into rock on the east side, and rock socketed on the west side due to varying subsurface strata.

The existing route, which was nearly 4,500 feet longer, had required crossing the busy NYS Route 13 corridor and using one of the three state highway bridges that span the channel.

IMPACTS

The new bridge provides pedestrian and bicyclist access to a nonmotorized crossing, which reduces travel time and improves safety. It also provides a vital link for pedestrians and bicyclists to job centers and retail destinations.

The project’s additional impacts include extending and improving connection to the Black Diamond Trail, adjacent parks, and other waterfront destinations, in accordance with master plans. The bridge’s western terminus ties into the Erdman Anthony-designed Floral Avenue multiuse trail.

Sustainable Design Impact As Ithaca officials continue to address demands for separated shared-use paths, grow the trail network, and alleviate pedestrian and bicyclist use of roadways and sidewalks adjacent to roads, the Black Diamond Trail Bridge now serves as a vital link across a flood-control channel. Plus, the bridge has solar LED lighting that was designed to illuminate the walkway at night and increase user safety.

Awards

2024 ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Platinum Award

Category C: Structural Systems