Ohio to Erie Trail Bridge -

Ohio to Erie Trail Bridge

Carpenter Marty Transportation provided engineering design services for this project which removed an at-grade mid-block trail crossing on the Ohio to Erie Trail and constructed a 106’ single span steel truss multi-use bridge over County Line Road. The project provided a safe crossing for users while staying within a small project footprint in order to avoid impacts to right-of-way. The truss bridge has a span of 106’ and is 12’ wide from face-to-face of the railing. The bridge was designed for AASHTO pedestrian loading and H5 maintenance vehicles. The deck of the truss utilized 2×8 Ipe wood deck. Lighting conduit was installed within the steel tubes and attachments for future vandal protection fencing were included in the bridge design. There are several homes very close to this corridor. Typically, these pedestrian bridge abutments are supported by deep foundation like piles.

There was concern that the driving of piling would disturb the residents and the large underground electric lines. Carpenter Marty Transportation proposed to use a mat foundation to support the wall type abutments. Additional construction consisted of two trail ramps and 850’ of trail realignment. The project included 450’ of battered retaining walls, 24’ tall wall abutments supported on mat foundations, drainage analysis, storm sewer design, utility relocation, and aesthetic design. The turned back wingwalls incorporate open-celled terraces with native Ohio plants to create a more natural looking wall that blends into the wooded corridor within the residential area. CM assisted in the successful application of an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant, which was awarded to the project in the amount of $500,000.