StreetLife Bridge
Swanton Welding Company recently completed the fabrication of a pedestrian bridge for a college campus project. The bridge was fabricated, welded, and fully assembled in Swanton Welding’s shop, allowing the team to verify the completed structure before it left the facility.
The project ran from April 1 through June 23, 2026, and resulted in a finished bridge measuring 52 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 68 inches high. The completed structure weighs approximately 30,000 pounds. Its combination of structural steel, Corten steel, wood, and Rumber boards gives the finished assembly a distinctive appearance that goes beyond a standard steel bridge.
The primary bridge frame was fabricated from A36 steel, providing the structural foundation for the assembly. The decorative handrail was fabricated from Corten steel, a material known for developing a weathered appearance over time without requiring a traditional finish. The top of the handrail incorporates wood, while Rumber boards were used for the bridge deck to complete the walking surface.
Fabricating a complete bridge requires careful coordination between structural components and finished details. The Swanton Welding team used a range of fabrication capabilities throughout the project, including CNC beam line work, machining, laser cutting, and press braking. These processes enabled individual components to be prepared accurately before being welded and assembled into the completed structure.
Key fabrication methods used during the build included:
CNC beam line, machining, laser cutting, press braking, welding, and full shop assembly
Once fabrication was complete, the bridge base was hot-dip galvanized to provide a durable protective finish for the structural steel. The Corten steel components were left unfinished, allowing the material to develop its intended appearance naturally.
Combining the galvanized structural base with Corten steel, wood, and Rumber decking created a finished bridge with both functional and architectural elements.
The size of the bridge also required careful planning throughout the fabrication and assembly process. At 52 feet long and weighing approximately 30,000 pounds, the completed structure is a substantial assembly that required safe handling within the shop. Full shop assembly allowed our team to bring the various components together and confirm the fit of the bridge before it moved on to the next stage of the project.
This project demonstrates Swanton Welding’s ability to take on complete structural fabrications that combine heavy steel construction with detailed architectural features. From CNC processing and machining to laser cutting, press braking, welding, finishing, and final assembly, the project brought multiple capabilities together in one job.
If you have a bridge, structural assembly, or other custom fabrication project that requires experienced fabrication, welding, and shop assembly, Swanton Welding is ready to help bring your plans to life.
Location
It is still sitting in the shopMaterials
The frame is made from A36 Steel. The decorative handrail was made from Corten Steel. The top of the handrail is wood and the deck is rumber boards.Fabrication Methods
CNC Beam Line, machining, laser cutting, press braking
Finishing Details
Hot-Dip Galvanizing the Base. Corten material does not get finished.