Terwillegar Park Footbridge

Stantec

Edmonton, AB

The Terwillegar Park Footbridge holds several distinctions. It is the first stressed-ribbon bridge in Edmonton, and Canada’s longest. It is also the second longest and northern most in the world. Designed by Stantec, the footbridge spans 262 m across the North Saskatchewan River, linking Terwillegar Park with the existing Edmonton River Valley trail system. The City of Edmonton challenged consultants to develop concepts that were innovative, fit the context of the large natural river valley, and meet strict budget and schedule requirements. The unique three-span, continuous concrete stressed-ribbon bridge design, while sleek and simplistic in form, required complex engineering analysis and design. The design team was able to predict the sags and shape of the structure with remarkable accuracy during the various erection stages, often within tens of millimeters of accuracy, for a variety of load and temperature conditions while allowing for movement to occur within the handrails. The footbridge provides economical up-front cost, long-term durability and an elegant solution which is aligned with the City of Edmonton’s vision and sustainability goals for the beautiful North Saskatchewan River valley.