West End Bridge, Pittsburgh

As one of the most characteristic
 bridges in the “city of bridges”


 this pedestrian bridge has  the potential to change the tide of public life on the riverfront with its arch making a positive impact on the city’s skyline.
The bridge works with a string-bow truss typology, alternating the orientation of the bow above and below the circulation deck to amplify the figure of the existing bridge.
The existing bridge structure is a tied arch utilising pre-stressed arches for the support of a thin deck.
Cables supporting the light-bridge deck are tension only structural elements so the existing roadway and pedestrian walkways provide a balanced load while the open truss/cable structure and the thin deck reduce the effects of wind perpendicular to the bridge.