Maroon Creek Pedestrian Bridge
Submitted by: Carter & Burgess Inc.

To provide the "missing link" for its multi-use trail system, the City of Aspen decided to construct the Maroon Creek pedestrian and recreational bridge.

Several design techniques were utilized to make the new bridge work in harmony with its natural setting. A neutral, earth tone color was selected to blend with the setting, and the streamlined steel deck arch design minimizes the bridge's visual impact on the surroundings while it creates a dramatic piece of architecture.

The construction challenge was to minimize the excavation into the steep cliffs on Maroon Creek's eastern banks while maintaining a sufficient span-to-depth ratio to carry the heavy recreation, pedestrian and snow loads. A detailed analysis optimized the section weights, enabling the arch to be erected from behind thrust foundations, thus keeping cranes out of the river valley.

Instead, the lightweight arch sections were erected using a cantilever method, which allowed the bridge to be constructed using only one crane on each side of the valley and without removing trees or disturbing the creek below. As sections were erected, they were tied back to the bridge piers using steel rods. These piers were temporarily tied to the hillside with soil nails.

The completed bridge is 606 ft long - including the central arch span of 406 ft - which rises 170 ft above Maroon Creek. The arch span is second only to the Royal Gorge Bridge as one of the longest bridge spans in Colorado.

PROJECT TEAM
Owner:	City of Aspen
General Contractor:	BTE Concrete Formwork
Engineer/Architect:	Carter & Burgess
Steel Fabricator :	Zimmerman Metals
Steel Erector:	Pioneer Steel

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