The Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge project included the construction of a 325-ft main span pedestrian and bicycle bridge over 10 lanes of Interstate 280. Including the two 89-ft back spans, the entire bridge length is 503 ft long. The project provides a bicycle and pedestrian connection between Cupertino and Sunnyvale, two cities that were previously divided by the highway, and includes the bridge, gateway paths, extensive landscaping, and public art.
Teamwork and group perseverance in solving technical problems was significant when the project hit a financial, architectural, and schedule snag that almost caused the entire project to not go forward. Originally slated to be a concrete structure with an estimated cost of $6.3 million, the city was shocked when construction bids came in at $12.4 million. Rather than give up, city officials and project architect, Terry Greene, sought alternatives from HNTB, a transportation infrastructure engineering and architectural firm. For six weeks the city worked with numerous consultants and HNTB to redesign the bridge and send it out for bids, all the while making sure the project conformed to Caltrans specifications. It was agreed that a steel design offered several cost-cutting and time-saving advantages.