JULY 2 2021
On June 24, just in time for Fourth of July festivities, Cleveland Metroparks opened the Wendy Park Bridge, a 500-ft-long pedestrian bridge that provides a new link between downtown Cleveland and waterfront parks alongside Lake Erie.
The bridge is one of the final elements in the $16.45 million “Re-Connecting Cleveland” federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) trails project. The goal of the TIGER project is to provide safe, seamless, car-free connectivity to parks and waterfronts on Cleveland’s west side. Creating a path over the Norfolk-Southern railroad tracks, the Wendy Park Bridge aligns closely with this goal in eliminating a 3.6-mile detour that had been required to reach the park from the south.
With its distinctive arch, the bridge stands out as a new city landmark. Its two approach spans, 125 ft each, are Pratt trusses, and the main span is 250-ft tied-arch structure. Pedestrians and bikers can traverse a 12-ft-wide clear deck that not only leads to Wendy Park but also Whiskey Island, the former historic coast guard station, and Edgewater Park.
AISC member and certified fabricator Contech Engineered Solutions, LLC, based out of Alexandria, Minn., provided the steel for the $6 million project, which was designed by KS Associates, Inc., and constructed by Great Lakes Construction Co.
Find out more about the Wendy Park Bridge and Re-Connecting Cleveland TIGER Trails Project at the Cleveland Metroparks website.
