Stanley Consultants planned, designed and supported construction of a pedestrian and cyclist bridge that linked the Jordan River Parkway Trail to the Golden Spoke Trail Network, connecting over 100 miles of continuous paved trail from Ogden to Provo.
Completing this connection required navigating a highly constrained corridor. The project area was bounded by the Jordan River on one side and three active rail lines, a major electrical substation with high-voltage transmission lines and contaminated soil on the other.
To overcome the site challenges, the team worked closely with city and railroad stakeholders to secure an aerial easement and manage Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) contaminated soils that restricted excavation and shaped the bridge’s foundation design. The resulting 1,200-foot-long tied-arch bridge features a 280-foot main span that clears the rail corridor without intermediate supports. This innovative solution not only fulfilled all necessary clearance requirements but also resulted in a visually distinctive structure within Utah’s landscape.
The bridge was prefabricated and assembled from three sections to facilitate transport to the site and limit disruptions to rail operations. Driven pile foundations were utilized to minimize disturbance to the contaminated soil and demonstrated a commitment to both operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.
With the bridge complete, cyclists and pedestrians can travel over 100 miles on one of the nation’s longest continuous urban trail systems, strengthening regional connectivity and supporting active transportation and recreation.
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1,200
Feet Total Bridge Length
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112
Miles Of Trail Connected
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3
Rail Lines Crossed