Hillhouse Pedestrian Bridges

Guy Nordenson and Associates designed two pedestrian bridges as part of the Hillhouse Avenue Bridge reconstruction on Yale University’s campus. The bridges align with the existing sidewalks and clear span 60ft over a historic former canal and railway. Concrete abutments with granite coping support the high-performance, high-strength steel (HPS70W) structures. Each pedestrian bridge consists of two 46in deep steel plate girders for the primary structure and handrails. The two bridges are differentiated by their widths, with the east bridge having a clear width of 10ft and the west bridge a clear width of 8ft. The plate girders have 1/4in thick corrugated, perforated webs. The perforations reduce the weight of the structure and create a lattice-like appearance that reinterpret the original wood lattice canal bridges designed by local architect Ithiel Town.