Delta Ponds Pedestrian Bridge Salem, OR

This bridge is an excellent example of how a community can get more use out of a favored and well-loved park.  The alignment itself reminds one of a stroll through the woods.  It curves around obstacles and over conflicting uses like a meandering park walkway, but in the air. On its way it creates a dramatic landmark for the community and the park.  The tower and cable planes impose an easily understood geometric silhouette on the sky. The tower’s arms are simple, thin rectangular prisms. The angle of the tower’s arms is well chosen.  The tower recalls the triumphant “Touchdown” gesture well known in football. Bracing of the arms at their base is achieved not by thickening the arms, but by thin triangular walls, leaving a V-shaped slot that preserves the view through the tower.  The arms end equally well, with a simple diagonal slice.

The semi-harp stay pattern is also well chosen.  The stays create a fascinating moire´ pattern of interacting lines that shift and change as drivers move though the bridge.  The red color brings out the pattern on both sunny and cloudy days. The lighting of the upper stay preserves the bridge’s memorable image at night.

Finally, the short spans on the approach allow the thin deck of the cable-supported span span to continue unchanged to the abutment, giving the whole structure a unified appearance.  Short spans allow thin columns.  Even though there are many of then, their thinness and their simple shape means that the views through the bridge are not significantly interrupted.  Designers often assume that long spans are better for appearance.  That is true in many cases, but this is not one of them. Plus, the economy of the short spans has allowed the community to obtain a signature bridge at a remarkably low price.