Structural engineers are often more interested in spectacular road and rail bridges with enormous spans than in relatively narrow footbridges built for modest loads. Local authorities, on the other hand, see pedestrian and cycle bridges in inner-city or rural locations as vital connections and important features of the town or landscape. Designs are often selected on the basis of architectural competitions. As there are no official guidelines for the planning of footbridges, the building techniques and performance of existing bridges are an important source of information and inspiration for structural engineers, architects and city or rural planners.
This book contains 85 examples of footbridges built worldwide over the past three decades and includes open pedestrian and cycle bridges, utility bridges and skywalks in many different environments. The collection is arranged according to load bearing system and span length. There is a brief description of the location and structural system of each bridge illustrated by photographs, plans, elevations and in some cases construction details. It is a treasure trove for bridge builders.