Interesting alternative design for Salem’s Minto-Brown Pedestrian Bridge

I'm looking forward to completion of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge from Salem's Riverfront Park to Minto-Brown Park.

Three times a week I head to Minto-Brown to do my Streetstriding thing on an outdoor elliptical bike. It'll be great to have additional trails to ride and a bridge that connects Minto-Brown Park with downtown.

But completion of the bridge likely has been delayed for a year, until 2016, due to a delay in getting approval from the Coast Guard to build a structure over a navigable waterway. 
Download Minto Island bridge delayed as permits await approval

So this may allow for consideration of an alternative to the current bridge design (shown above). That design features two prominent arches, apparently to draw attention to the bridge and make it a "signature" architectural statement.

Gene Pfeifer, an experienced Design/Build specialist from Silverton, is suggesting an alternative design. It would look similar to the Flint Wash bridge above, which is in Pasadena, California. One big plus: this sort of bridge could be $5 million cheaper than the arched bridge design.

Here's how Pfeifer described the alternative in an email that went to City officials and other interested people today. He invited sharing of his message, so I'm doing just that.

This is the type of footbridge that will be budgeted and proposed. 

The clear span will be about 310 feet, and the vertical arches are taller than this photo. There will be some east and west extensions without the arch; but with fewer piers than proposed by City's 30 inch diameter, bulging butterfly arch design. 

This design will be more in keeping with Salem's heritage, and the natural setting. Also, it is more in the interpretation [of] the old railroad trestle foot bridge. 

The railing will be more classic with vertical spindles. Also intended, will be lamp poles with gas light style lamps; rather than more modernistic. 

The metal is "corten" which naturally rusts a protective, natural brown color, as shown. That's correct; no painting maintenance.  The deck will be concrete; and support live and dead impact loads of an
emergency vehicle.

The proposed budget goal is less than $5 million; including $500,000.00 of the City's expensive structural engineering outsource expenditures to date.

In conclusion, a more natural design; faster to erect; cost half the money; happier Salem taxpayers; more longevity; less maintenance; $5 million or more back into the Urban Renewal Fund, to be repurposed for better use; better example as to how Salem and we Oregonians should be better investing our limited funds; a success story for the council. 

All those in receipt of this email introduction to an alternate footbridge proposal may share it with whomever you see fit.

Thank you. 

Gene Pfeifer 
Active citizen 
46 year design build specialist