Pedestrian bridges may benefit your community but can strain your budget. Justifying the cost can be difficult. Research shows that some decisions to construct a pedestrian bridge are based on traditional criteria, such as safety, while others have "bargain-hunting" components. Here are some ideas to get your bridge project off the ground:

Justify the need. Demonstrate the need to improve pedestrian safety. A paved shoulder on a bridge is not considered a pedestrian walk and can be unsafe. If this type of walkway connects adjacent neighborhoods or business areas, consider a parallel pedestrian bridge in lieu of widening the existing structure. This separation from vehicular traffic improves safety.

Use an abandoned highway bridge. If a parallel bridge can serve as a main traffic route, convert the old bridge into a pedestrian crossing. Enhance the surrounding area to transform the bridge into an attractive community centerpiece. Design stone or timber facades that compliment the surrounding area. Add decorative railings, parapets, or park benches.

Create a multi-use structure. Share the cost of a structure by designing a pipe-crossing/pedestrian bridge. When rock excavation, wetland disturbance, or other factors limit the feasibility of burying pipes or cables, companies use bridge crossings instead. Offer to share the cost if they agree to incorporate a pedestrian bridge as part of the crossing.

Look for alternative funding sources. Your project may be eligible for funding through a State or Federal program, such as: Historic Preservation, Canal Initiatives, Federal programs (like TEA21) which provide for safety improvements, ADA upgrades, community development, or other programs. Although rehabilitating a historic structure can be costly, an old, restored historic structure (such as a truss or covered bridge) can add a focal point to a community and enhance its character, thus justifying its cost.

Whether a walkway project enhances safety or takes advantage of a money-saving opportunity, your community could benefit from a new structure that improves accessibility or enhances a community's attributes.

Examine technical aspects. Don't cross over uncharted waters unprepared. Plan ahead to create a pedestrian bridge that is right for its users and easy to maintain. Consider these factors when planning a crossing:

Type of use. Determine if the walkway is for pedestrians only, or also for bicyclists. This impacts walkway width, railing and parapet height, and the riding surface type.

ADA requirements. When grades exceed 5%, you must include landings every 30 inches of vertical rise and install handrails on both sides. No grade can exceed 8.33%.

Design Loads. Determine how the walkway will be maintained and if it will be accessible to maintenance vehicles. Different live loads are required if snow will be plowed by a light truck or cleared by a snow blower.

Period of Vibration. Long spans with thin superstructures are light and flexible, but if the vibration period is less than 2.5 seconds, pedestrians can experience uncomfortable motion, especially if deflections are large. Minimize the live load deflections of lightweight structures.