Humiston Pedestrian Suspension Bridge

Details
Location: Pontiac, Ill.
Service: Bridge design
Project Cost: $11,000
Client/Owner: Department of Parks and Recreation
Completed: 1979

Description
The Humiston Pedestrian Suspension Bridge was created to provide pedestrian access from the south to the north side of the Vermilion River. A timber suspension bridge was selected for aesthetic reasons.

The suspension bridge was designed using pressure-treated, rough-sawn timber decking, stringers, floorbeams and handrails. The towers and all connections were designed using unpainted weathering steel for minimum maintenance. The main suspension cables consisted of 1.75-inch diameter bridge strands. Details were designed to accommodate expansion-contraction characteristics as well as the general flexible nature of the bridge structure under loads.

Services
Hanson served as the civil, structural and foundation engineering consultant. Project duties included: field surveys necessary for the bridge and viewing platform design, subsurface investigations, structural design and construction drawing preparation for the bridge and viewing platform, permit requests required for construction, construction inspection and construction materials testing. The bridge received the American Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois honor award.