Building Bridges

On the Lower Aire Valley task day last week we repaired, or rather reconstructed, a footbridge in Water Haigh park.  The existing 'footbridge' consisted a plank of wood straddling a rather dismal looking stream which is stained orange from leaching from the old mine workings. But it's not all about aesthetics - the area is popular with dog walkers and, judging by the positive feedback we received during the day, an improved footbridge was a welcome addition to the site.

The bridge was a simple design with posts sunk into the ground at all four corners, attached to two wide beams of wood that spanned the stream. Cross-planks and a handrail were then added.

Leaving the existing plank in situ, the first job was to measure out where the new bridge would go. We started by digging out soil in the bank, to sink the beams into the ground so that they were level with the soil surface. This meant that users did not have to step up or down onto the bridge, reducing the chance of slips and trips.  Once in place, we were able to dig in the post holes, which was quite difficult given the proximity to the stream bank. This was a slow and pain-staking task, as it was measured and re-measured, and the level checked at every angle to ensure it was both straight and square.


I had to leave at lunchtime, by which time the four corners and the beams were in place. After lunch, the rest of the team nailed down the planks and added cross-rails to the handrail to make it more sturdy. 

At the weekend I was dog-sitting, so took the boys for a walk around the park and had a look at the finished bridge (bottom photograph). It is looking very sturdy and smart, and it's great to have been able to construct something that will (hopefully) be there for many years to come and will be appreciated by the local people.