156-foot bridge key part of California conservation area

February 15th, 2010

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Big R Bridge recently installed a multi-use bridge in Contra Costa County, CA, to provide access to Fernandez Ranch, a 702-acre protected area West of the Golden Gate Bridge owned by The Muir Heritage Land Trust. With generous support provided by a wide variety of state agencies, private foundations, corporate sponsors, individual contributors and the herculean efforts of an army of volunteers, the installation of the Big R Bridge was a defining moment in the culmination of a 20-year epic journey of land acquisition and planning.

As the 156 foot clear span steel bridge was hoisted into mid-air and finally set across Rodeo Creek, I found myself filled with a profound sense of hope and gratitude.

—Linus Eukel, Executive Director Muir Heritage Land Trust

Dramatic erosion had cut a deep channel along the creek, stripped its banks of vegetation and toppled trees. After much study, planners concluded that changes to Rodeo Creek on a property upstream had changed its hydrology, disrupting creek ecology. Not only did 2,500' sections of the banks need stabilizing, a wide-span bridge was needed to reach across the widening chasm and provide access for pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and safety vehicles. Enter Big R Bridge.

Working with Project Engineer, Ken Burgess at C. Overaa & Co., in Richmond, CA, and Bob Birkeland, Senior Landscape Architect at RDG, LLC, Big R proposed an elegant Bowstring Truss design, with a naturally-weathering steel finish and a 12' wide cast-in-place concrete deck. This bridge design offered a clear span without the need for support piers that might impact the creek.

In keeping with the natural beauty and architectural features of the area, weathering steel develops a vibrant patina that gives a rustic appearance over time. And, since weathering steel does not need to be painted, it saves the Trust future maintenance dollars and it saves the environment from impacts related to the manufacture and future removal of volatile organic compounds from oil-based coatings.

Big R Bridge has become one of the leading pedestrian bridge fabricators in the United States. Our pedestrian bridges have been installed from coast to coast. We have provided bridges for golf courses, resorts, private developers, national parks, national forests, industrial walkways and on state department of transportation projects.

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1290
Greeley, Colorado
80632-1290
Physical address:
19060 WCR 66
Greeley, CO 80631

1-800-234-0734
1-970-356-9600
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