Northhampton Pedestrian Bridge

The United States boasts a large collection of steel truss bridges that span the nation, yet these structures have grown older and now require renovation. Composed of heavy steel beams and constructed in a time predating modern transportation, these bridges suffer from restricted load capacity. Due to load restrictions, revitalizing these bridges is a more complex task than simply adding traditional materials like concrete or wood to the roadway and pedestrian walkways as this would add too much weight to the structure to allow sufficient vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

In the case of the Northampton Street Bridge, the solution for the cantilevered pedestrian walkway was FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) material. FRP panels presented an ideal fit, thanks to their remarkable strength-to-weight ratio and the ability to be manufactured for installation without modifications to the steel superstructure. The unique sandwich construction of the FRP panels grants them the capability to meet current safety and performance requirements without exceeding the material weight limit.