First Pedestrian Cable-stayed Swing Bridge in US Coming in 2027 – This $72.6M project will be in Charleston, South Carolina
Work on the 4,100-ft project in Charleston, SC, with a movable center span, set to start in 2024
Superior Construction is expected to start work next year on a pedestrian swing bridge over the Ashley River in Charleston, S.C. If completed as planned in 2027, the 4,100-ft-long bridge—with a 225-ft-long cable-stayed center swing span for the passage of marine traffic—would rank as the first of its type in the U.S., according to Superior, the design-builder.
Working with design partner Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Superior expects to kick off design for the $72.6-million project in November, 2023. The anticipated groundbreaking, with at-grade tie-ins to existing infrastructure on each end of the project, is the second quarter of next year, says Richard Kirkman, Carolinas’ division manager at Superior. Work on the bridge itself would start later next year.
The bridge would connect downtown Charleston to the city’s West Ashley area. The plan is to build the movable span in the open position to minimize impacts to marine traffic.
“We were challenged by the city to come up with a unique design,” says Kirkman, that included the horizontal cable-stayed movable span. “When you approach a design-build project, you try to approach it with an open mind, and think outside the box.”
The design was developed with engineer TranSystems, and its subcontractor COWI, he adds. That helped the team secure the contract from the city.
According to a city website, the idea for the pedestrian bridge dates to an $18.1-million BUILD grant Charleston received in 2019. The city, county and the Medical University of South Carolina matched the grant to the tune of $4.6 million, for a total $22.7 million.
The city’s initial cost projections of about $42 million were found to be insufficient as firms began to submit proposals, local media reported in September. City officials cited inflation and construction costs for the increase.
The design-build project will be funded by Charleston, Charleston County, the South Carolina Dept. of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. The bridge will be constructed with large-diameter drilled shaft foundations of 8 ft to 9 ft.
Five connected longitudinal spans will traverse the river itself. This includes the cable-stayed center span, with its hydraulics for swinging, and four others constructed of traditional girders with cast deck spans. On other parts of the bridge, 34-ft-long spans will cross the marshy areas with a precast prestressed concrete box-slab design stacked transversely to create the riding and walking surface, Kirkman says—an approach that’s expected to speed design, fabrication and construction.
The impetus for the bridge is safety. More than 63,000 cars cross the Ashley River every day on two parallel bridges with narrow sidewalks, which resulted in more than 100 pedestrian-related crashes from 2014-19, according to a release from Superior. A key feature of the bridge will be a V-shaped pylon, while the bridge’s outward-leaning stay cable plane will reduce risk of ice on cables falling onto the pedestrian path.
Most of the bridge will be 15 ft wide, with tapering portions to expand to 24 ft for the five spans crossing the river. The scope of work also includes new movable bridge operations with CCTV monitors, a touchscreen display and discrete pushbuttons for the gates, as well as s trailhead with benches, water stations and bike repair stations.
Photo: The Ashley River Pedestrian Bridge will feature a 225-ft movable cable-stayed span to allow passage of marine traffic – Rendering courtesy JMT/COWI
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A waste of money
It’s only $17,707and 32 cents a foot!!! Yep, waste of $$!!! But that’s what bureaucrats do!!!
Amen!
Y
They ever gonna do anything with the north bridge, like building a pedestrian / bicycle crossway across the north bridge , they care about Downtown, mt plea bug not west Ashley and no Chas !!!!, figures
Wow. That makes no sense. How about finish 526 and get the roads right so traffic is better.
Biggest waste of money. Cancel that plan
Actually mark clark is supposed to be rebuilt and having 8 lanes. That and a foot bridge nice. We might all die from a bad hurricane cause its still 4 lanes from here to columbia.
Well, they HAVE cleared out all the trees in the median, and I always thought that was to make it easier to add more lanes.
At this point, we have swimming pools built into our roads because Our tax dollars aren’t being used correctly.Our vehicles are being tore up driving these roads. fix them first.
Y
With of of the problems Charleston has…flooding comes to mind…this is what we are spending $72 million, at current estimates, on.
Not the first by a long shot.
The Liberty Bridge in Greenville, SC is 20 years old.
Ya but the liberty bridge doesn’t open to let boats through. That’s the difference
LIbertyyBridge is not a cable stayed bridge, it’s a suspension type bridge. Cooper River/Ravenal or whatever it’s called today could technically be called the first since it does have a sidewalk the entire length and is a cable stayed type bridge.
Biggest waste of money! That could fix A LOT of infrastructure problems in the area!! Just Wow!
Y
Anyone saying “ not worth it”, “cancel the project”, or any other unhelpful self centered comment needs to make an attempt to pry yourself away from your Facebook page and go ride a bike over the Ashley river bridge.
I’m certainly not saying you should start riding a bike to work. It’s not for everyone- but understand that opening up commuter/ pedestrian routes to and from the city center is good for everyone. Good for commuters safety, good for congestion, and good for your property value. What you feel like you’re losing in tax dollars, you will certainly make up for during your next home appraisal.
So many other American cities are lapping Charleston. You’re 20 years behind. It really is that simple. I love you Charleston. ✌️
Exactly what I was thinking too. So many closed minds to progress, and our infrastructure should have been taken care of years ago but the politicians you elected missed that. Infrastructure is improving as 26 is being widened and the Mark Clark is about to as well.
Well, I think most people are balking at the price. 70 million is a lot for a foot traffic bridge. Since it is a foot bridge it could be made cheaper using wood, and rope.
Another reason to raise your taxes. Spend the money without any concern for the people.
Y
Ridiculous. More waste from democrats in Charleston.
Y