Highway/Bridge: Award of Merit: Jordan River Pedestrian Bridge and Trail

Jordan River Pedestrian Bridge and Trail
Salt Lake City
Award of Merit

Owner: Salt Lake City Corp.
Lead Design/Structural/Civil/MEP Engineer: Stanley Consultants
General Contractor: Gerber Construction Inc.
Geotechnical Engineer: Gerhart Cole Inc.
Truss Supplier: Contech Engineered Solutions

The construction of the 1,200-ft-long, 12-span Jordan River Pedestrian Bridge is the long-anticipated final link in a 106-mile-trail system that connects 34 cities from Ogden to Provo. Nearly 20 years in the making, the bridge spans three rail lines over an active rail yard and follows a narrow stretch along the river near a large power substation.

The team used ground-based technology to coordinate utility work and deactivated high-voltage overhead transmission lines at key points during construction. The designer said that coordinating cranes and equipment through the maze of infrastructure was “like trying to thread a needle.” But the result, as Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said, “is a big deal for Utah; it’s a big deal for our area; and it’s a big deal for our people.”