Center Pier Wilderness Bridge Construction

The presenter will share some successful plans and construction tools he has used to construct multiple span bridges (20 – 60′ in length) with center piers in in the Wilderness. These sizes are the type of structures that become financial and logistical hurdles that either require Wilderness exemptions to utilize power tools, or a massive financial input to build a bridge off site and have it flown in with a helicopter. Both solutions are a huge challenge for Wilderness management. Therefore, projects of this size typically go unfulfilled and can create a dangerous backcountry safety situations or the location that needs a structure experiences significant resource destruction as hikers attempt to mitigate the crossing without infrastructure.

Center pier bridges can be used in front country or backcountry environments. The real challenge is when there is a large stream crossing, whether due to a dangerous/ high water environment, or a wide crossing that has no good beginning and end points for a structure. It is significantly easier to build with dimensional lumber in a front country environment using all the tools and modern conveniences. And there are plenty of professional trail builders or contract companies that will build bridges in this manner, although the costs for these structures are significant.

The presenter intends to inspire groups and other federal entities that they DO have the skills in house to construct these structures without significant costs. With solid leadership, a dedicated volunteer base and alignment with some core volunteer groups; agencies (and partners!) can build these structures for pennies on the dollar, provided they have solid leadership at the job site. This webinar will include images/examples of this style of construction when it was used locally for a front country bridge— and then progress that design to apply in a wilderness setting, utilizing primitive tools.