Pedestrian bridges are designed for people to cross over land or water, often to provide a safe way to cross busy streets or dangerous areas. They have been built for centuries and can be made from various materials. Architects continue to update designs for both structural and artistic reasons, with safety features such as lights and walls.
A pedestrian bridge, also called a footbridge, is simply a bridge, whether over land or water, designed for pedestrian rather than vehicular traffic. Often, footbridges are built to give pedestrians a safe way to cross from one side of a busy street to the other. There are also pedestrian bridges built over railroad tracks, rivers, parking lots, canyons, and other areas where walking might be dangerous or even impossible.
People have been building variations of the footbridge for centuries. Ancient Romans built stone footbridges as early as 142 BC to allow people to cross the River Tiber. The arch shape has been incorporated into these pedestrian overpasses to give them durability and strength. Many of these footbridges still exist today, including the Ponte Fabricio in Rome, which is a two-arched bridge that was completed in 62 BC and still contains all of its original materials.
With the advent of vehicular transportation, society began to shift its focus to building bridges strong enough to support more than just people on foot. First came bridges built for horse vehicles, and then those that could accommodate trains or automobiles. However, the pedestrian bridge remained important, especially for those who could not afford to give up traveling on foot.
Today’s pedestrian bridge can be made from wood, rope, metal, or even plastic. It can serve both a utilitarian and a decorative purpose. Many use these bridges to add character to their gardens or patios. For example, a gardener might put a footbridge over a small pond or stream. These bridges are also popular as overpasses near shopping malls and subway stations.
Architects continue to update the design of pedestrian bridges, both for structural and artistic reasons. An interesting project is that of the circular pedestrian bridge. Examples of this style can be found in Australia, on the Craigieburn Bypass Freeway and in Aveiro, Portugal. Another notable design is the curved bridge, and two examples in the United States are the Seminole Trail Bridge in Longwood, Florida and the Bob Kerry Bridge near Omaha, Nebraska.
Some pedestrian bridges have lights, Plexiglas® walls, mesh ceilings and other safety features. These improvements protect both people crossing and, in the case of road bridges, people driving vehicles below. One risk of having such walkways over roads is that people may drop objects, either accidentally or intentionally. This can be a threat to motorists’ safety.
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