Trail Bridge Renovation for the Next 100 Years

Over the past decade, various municipalities in Central Ohio have been creating recreational opportunities along their greenways. When linear parks are created through developed areas, more footbridges are required to link these parks. Along Alum Creek Trail through Columbus, Ohio, two dozen bridges have been built over 12 miles of trail. The reuse of old metal trusses has been a priority. As with most historic preservation, there is a high level of investment and effort in dismantling, moving and erecting each truss. Two metal trusses have been salvaged for reuse as footbridges. The first is the Westerville Truss a double intersection Pratt, or Whipple, truss (175 ft) built in 1886 in western Franklin County, Ohio. The second, the Bridgeview Truss is a bowstring hybrid truss (153 ft) built in 1900 from Scioto County in southern Ohio.

The Westerville Truss served as a vehicular bridge for 113 years and was in good physical condition. The bridge was dismantled in transportable sections to a temporary enclosed work area for complete disassembly. The truss was erected using falsework as it originally would have been. The original bid price brought forward to 2012 was $286 per square foot.

The Bridgeview Truss served the public for 103 years before being dismantled on site in 2003. The members were brought to a steel fabricator's boneyard with the intent of being used as a private vehicular bridge. While searching for a bridge on another project, the design team recognized the historic aspect of the bridge and recommended the bridge for use on the Alum Creek Trail. The contractor chose to build the bridge just off the new abutments and move the structure into place. The 2009 bid price brought forward to 2012 was $345 per square foot.

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