Three Weathering Steel Footbridges

<p>This paper discusses the design considerations and aesthetics of utilizing weathering steel in three bridges. The warm color of the patina is shown to blend into the forested landscape of western Washington and the high desert landscape of central Washington.</p><p>The first bridge uses a cantilevered through-girder scheme that spans a total length of 56.7 m between abutments as it spans over Crab Creek. Tie-downs at the abutments provide uplift resistance founded with rock anchors grouted into bedrock to enable the unique shaping of the girder profile to respond to the internal forces allowing it to be thin through the central area of the span to provide users with views over the water and across the countryside. The second bridge is a trestle of similar length with H-piles extending out from the ground and low-profile stringers supporting the concrete trail surface.</p><p>The third bridge is over the White River, which is a key link in the regional Foothills Trail, which when complete will run more than 48 km through communities and scenic landscapes in the shadow of Mount Rainier. The three-span arch footbridge has become a destination where users linger over the beautiful river. The total bridge length of 174 m is divided over three network arch spans.</p>