It is the intention of these Specifications and Plans to furnish a prefabricated pedestrian access bridge to the Township of Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey, complete in every detail as shown or specified, for the prices bid in the Proposal.
The pedestrian bridge (Walkway) is a prefabricated, welded aluminum Howe Truss as manufactured by Topper Industries I, LLC, or approved equal. Any proposed equal shall meet or exceed the requirements of this Specification. This item includes the engineering design of the Walkway and its foundations, subsurface investigation, fabrication, delivery, and unloading of the Walkway at the Downs Farm Swim Club. Foundation construction and Walkway installation are performed under separate contracts and are not part of this item.
The structural system utilizes a traditional Howe Truss design configuration, consisting of welded aluminum tube framing with vertical members acting in tension and diagonal members acting in compression. The entire structure is engineered and designed in accordance with the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM) and applicable provisions of the International Building Code (IBC) and ASCE 7.
The walkway system is designed to support a uniform live load ranging from 40 PSF to 100 PSF depending on the specific location requirements, with localized vehicle or maintenance loading considerations where required. The structural framing is explicitly engineered to adhere to strict deflection limitations, ensuring safe, uncompromised access between shoreline abutments and floating dock systems across fluctuating seasonal water elevations.
Decking consists of molded fiberglass panels with a minimum of 62% open area to reduce environmental loading from high wind uplift forces, improve drainage, and enhance slip resistance. The overall configuration, including handrails, toe boards, and maximum approach slopes, is fully compatible with ADA accessibility recommendations outlined in the California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) guidelines.
The walkway system is specifically engineered for integrated structural connectivity with Topper Industries floating dock systems, anchoring configurations, and heavy-duty shoreline abutments. Factory prefabricated modular construction allows for efficient transport and rapid crane installation, drastically reducing field labor costs, structural assembly errors, and localized environmental impacts.
