After construction wrapped up this summer, Sherwood’s new pedestrian bridge opened for use on the first day of school in August. The community came together for a grand opening celebration at the end of September. Several hundred locals now cross the bridge daily, including a steady stream of dogs and the occasional bike. This gallery features additional views around the completed project as punchlist work continued through the fall.
The main bridge span crosses over the 42,000 average daily vehicles on Highway 99W.Students head across the bridge on foot and on bike to Sherwood High School.The curved belvedere railings between each span reference the arched form of the bridge trusses.Looking across the bridge to the west, its gentle curve to the north is evident.The shadow of the span 5 north arch leaps across the bridge deck over the highway.Diagonal cross bracing between the arches creates an expansive sense of enclosure from the bridge deck.The shadow of the span 3 north arch reaches toward a tangent with the end of the south arch.Each bridge span features a symmetrical tied arch plane on each side of the deck with diagonal web members.The symmetry of each bridge span is juxtaposed with the asymmetry of the overall bridge alignment.Late summer sun casts a dark shadow from the south arch of span 5 across the bridge deck.The east approach ramp climbs up to the main bridge span along the YMCA building.When school gets out, recreational bridge users are met with a flood of students heading home and to the YMCA.The steady stream of Sherwood High School students heading home from school offers entertainment to drivers stuck in traffic below, with the clear visibility through the mesh railings.Traffic flow on the bridge far exceeds vehicular movements on Kruger and Elwert roads during the afternoon rush.A street level view of spans 2 and 3 from Elwert Rd. northbound.Street level view of spans 4 and 5 from Elwert Rd, with landscaping yet to be restored.Northbound perspective of the main bridge span (5) over Highway 99W.The west approach path branches off of the existing Elwert Rd. multiuse path with a sweeping view of the bridge beyond.The west approach path gradually curves along the Sherwood High School site to rise up to the bridge.The west approach provides sweeping views of the bridge and the freshly restored landscape areas.The path down to Kruger Road bisects a freshly seeded field articulated by a few young large-species trees.View across the landscape area between Ewert Rd. and the west approach path.Early morning sun casts shadows from the railings across the width of the bridge deck.The southern belvedere at bent 1 projects over the roundabout stormwater pond with views to the south.Span 1 frames views of Sherwood High School, reinforcing the synergy between the school and the public infrastructure.Bridge and railing shadows spread across the landscape as a dogwalker heads down the Kruger path.The belvederes offer views across the outside of each bridge span to the surroundings.View across span 3 over Elwert Rd. to the roundabout and Sherwood High School.Belvedere view of spans 3, 2, and 1 curving around the south side of the roundabout.Belvedere view from the bent 5 east landing across all five bridge spans to Sherwood High School.The east approach ramp turns to run along Sunset Blvd until it meets existing sidewalk grade at ADA slopesGenerous plaza steps provide secondary access to the east approach from the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Highway 99W.A view up the east approach ramp from atop the plaza steps.The Sherwood High School Marching Ban lines up along the Kruger path to lead the ceremonial grand opening walk across the bridge on September 27th.The west approach path features a consistent gentle downslope to the Elwert Road multiuse path.Below the east approach ramp, three paired “V” columns support the slender approach structure.Behind the east approach entry, terraced walls and plantings front the YMCA pool.The east approach structured ramp meets the terraced walls with a pair of scuppers to convey bridge runoff into a treatment/storage facility.Sidewalk level view of the five bridge spans across Highway 99W.The east approach ramp meets the main bridge span with a chamfered corner to soften the common path of travel.A sunny view across the east approach stormwater facility to the ramp up to span 5.The east approach ramp offers this dynamic oblique view of the main bridge span across Highway 99W.A tall view at the corner from the east approach to span 5.Typical bridge railings over roadways are carefully integrated with the truss modules for a cohesive design.Views from span 4 across the roundabout to Sherwood High School.Each belvedere between bridge spans is articulated with a single light pole.View through the south truss of span 3 to the Sherwood High School fields.Typical railing panels over roadways are 8 feet tall and 16 feet long to match the diagonal truss module.Bent 2 belvedere with views toward the Sherwood High School fields.Inverted and conventional tied arch spans 2 and 1.Bent 1 south belvedere and the Kruger entry path.Bent 1 north belvedere and span 1.Typical railing cable mesh panel framed by stainless steel Macalloy rods.West approach plants starting to grow in.Seeding grows in around the Kruger path.Top of the west approach at the Kruger/Elwert trail intersection.View up the path from the multiuse path along Kruger Rd.Terraced basalt-faced gabion and concrete walls flow out of the topography at the west approach.Span1 view from below on Kruger Rd.A look under the bridge from bent 1 to the east.Spans 2 and 1 from the roundabout sidewalk.View back below span 1 from bent 2, where the underslung arches spring across the stormwater pond.Projecting belvederes and inverted arches of span 2 over the stormwater pond.Spans 3, 2, and 1 wrap around the south side of the roundabout.Spans 2 and 1 with the roundabout median.Spans 3, 2, and 1 across the roundabout.Riprap surrounds an existing stormwater outlet from the High School site, integrating the new retaining walls at the west approach.View down the east approach ramp along the YMCA.The bridge features eight art medallions, marked by light poles at points of interest such as the belvederes. High school students painted these temporary locally inspired scenes to activate the spaces until permanent bronze plaques are completed.The slender east approach ramp structure was designed to preserve views from the YMCA building out to the highway.The Sunset Blvd. entry features a inline ramp up from the bike lane since there is not an existing multiuse path on the east side of the bridge.Autumn leaves contrast with the white and gray bridge and sky.The bridge sees consistent recreational use throughout the day in addition to the concentrated high school commute patterns.View of span 1 and Sherwood High School from the bent 1 south belvedere.Five bridge spans from the west approach landscape area.Another dog and walker approach the bridge from the sweeping west approach.West approach curve with the bridge spans beyond.Landscape work wraps up with grading and riprap to consolidate runoff into a creek below span 4, leading down to the existing wetland north of the project.The east approach ramp provides up-close views of the autumn tree canopy.The east landing at the YMCA includes a knockout railing panel for a future stair down to the trail along the creek.Morning sun illuminates the continuous 4-span fascia girder, an 18″ deep steel channel, that supports the east approach.Plants fill the east stormwater facility’s treatment section, while the large tank below fills with controlled outflow after heavy rainfall.A view along the east approach ramp fascia, which also acts as the structural girder.As the leaves drop, the main bridge span becomes increasingly visible from the east approach.View up the east ramp from the abutment, where a “bump” plate channels stormwater across the deck to the scuppers and slows descending bikes.Sunlight illuminates the white steel against a darkening sky and soaked concrete deck.Rainy view across the west approach to the bridge spans.Bridge spans from the west abutment, north side.Bridge spans from the west abutment, south side.View through the span 5 railings to the east approach ramp.The east art wall retains the embankment at the base of the east approach ramps and conceals the plaza steps from the highway.East approach ramp and the YMCA building.Span 5 and the east approach at sunset.The cantilevered east landing is balanced by the main span over Highway 99W.West approach across the bridge.West approach from Sunset High School.Late afternoon view from span 4 to the west.Pre-sunset view from span 1 to the rest of the bridge.The Kruger path now bisecting a near-green field of seeded grass.Span 1 from the west abutment.Bridge spans from the Kruger path ascent.Projecting belvederes at bents 1 and 2.Spans 2 through 5 from the roundabout.Planting continues to fill in at the west approach.West approach S-curve and the bridge spans.Bridge and sunset from the east approach along Sunset Blvd.The east approach ramp, and bridge spans, at sunset.Highway 99W and spans 3 through 5.Plaza entry steps at sunset.Evening dog and walker on the bridge.East approach ramp descent in December.East landing belvedere view.Typical railing panel at sunset from span 3.Span 2 and belvedere transitions.Bent 2 belvedere and light pole.Span 3 north arch and sunset.Five bridge spans with the early stages of sunset-colored clouds.
Another Look After Dark
The architectural and pathway lighting systems are fully functional. Here are a few more looks around the project with a couple of the fall/winter scenes.
A tall arching rainbow punctuates the sunset sky behind the main span over Highway 99W.A tour group congregates on the main span with a dramatic sunset backdrop.Red lights on the arches contrast with the simple white deck lighting on the intermittent spans.Spans 1 through 3 are bathed in purple.The tall arches create an artistic, sculptural enclosure when illuminated in colored light.Pedestrians descend the east approach ramp as the bridge depicts a range of autumn-inspired colors.The bridge deck lighting emerges from railings and belvedere poles.West bridge entry with pathway lights, but decorative arch lights not yet on for the evening.Bridge with pathway lighting and sunset from Elwert Rd.The colored lights come on with a deep blue to introduce the winter scene.Cool winter-inspired colors sweep across the arches in a slow-moving pattern.West approach, winter sunset.The winter lighting scene fades to solid deep blue every few minutes when the pattern resets for variety.Span 1, with span 5 outside beyond and span 3 arch inside, beyond.Span 1 with the north arch framing spans 3 and 5, beyond.Spans 5, 4, and 3 through the span 1 railing mesh.Belvedere at bent 1, span 2, and the tall arches over Elwert Rd. and Highway 99W beyond.Bent 2 belvedere and spans 3 through 5.Spans 2 and 1 and Sherwood High School.Span 3 in deep blue light.Spans 4 through 1 from the bent 4 north belvedere.The mood inside the 40-ft-tall volume enclosed by the span 5 arches shifts with the changing winter colors.Span 5 to the west.Full-bridge view from the east landing at bent 5.The east approach ramp with a fading sunset.Oblique view of span 5 from the east approach ramp.99W/Sunset entry plaza with the illuminated art wall.Art wall with colored arches beyond. Artist Vicki Scuri designed both the concrete pattern and the colored lighting scenes.
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