Timber Bridge over the Reuss River in Mellingen, Switzerland

The village of Mellingen has a well preserved town structure from the Middle Ages and is situated on the Reuss River about 8 km from where it flows into the Aare River. In 1993, a temporary bridge was built over the Reuss River in Mellingen, which provided the children with a safe way to school without the danger of vehicular traffic. In September 1997, it was decided to replace the temporary bridge with a permanent one and the municipal council invited seven engineers to prepare conceptual design proposals for a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge construction, including the approaches, landscaping and the demolition of the temporary bridge, was completed within four months. The robustness of the new bridge was demonstrated during the Hurricane "Lothar" in December 1999, when a falling tree landed on the bridge but only damaged the railing at the abutment.