Using Fibre-Reinforced Polymer for pedestrian bridges isn’t new, is it?<p>A few minutes of googling gives me <a href="https://www.fibercore-europe.com/en/projects/" rel="nofollow">https://www.fibercore-europe.com/en/projects/</a>, which has dozens of FRP bridges. I doubt that’s the only producer in the world. I don’t see what’s special about this one (but feel free to educate me)<p>That leaves the shape. I would guess the corners in the road are there to avoid having to use land that isn’t owned by the railway. If so, what’s left is the specific design. That’s nice, but other nice designs are possible.<p>Now, as to the idea of making a pedestrian bridge over a railway: it’s better than no pedestrian connection, but the stairs on such bridges necessarily are fairly high. Train tracks often lie above ground level, and even if they don’t, the total height to the top of the overhead line, plus some safety, plus the height of the bridge’s deck means you’re easily going two floors up and down.
<a href="https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/research-development-and-technology/research-and-development-programme/innovative-modular-footbridge-design/" rel="nofollow">https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/resear...</a> contains a whole bunch more about this; see especially the "More information about the footbridge's development" fold-outs at the bottom
Network Rail had a competition in 2018 for a new footbridge design.[1] This isn't the winner. It's not even one of the entries. It is, though, much simpler and probably cheaper.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.ribacompetitions.com/networkrailfootbridge/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ribacompetitions.com/networkrailfootbridge/</a>
> These bridges are made from lightweight Fibre-Reinforced Polymer
> In just 11 months we have developed a prototype bridge that is stunning in design, environmentally friendly and will take days and not weeks to install and thereby causing less disruption for the surrounding community.”<p>... How exactly is this environmentally friendly?
FRPs don't tend to be recycled easily or cheaply[1], not to mention the fact that they are often derived from oil-based products and require high-temperature curing.<p>[1]: "The recycling of composite materials is on the right track, but challenges still have to be taken-up in order to finally make it a commercial reality" (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079642515000316" rel="nofollow">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S007964251...</a>)
I'm looking at the design and living in the UK, my first thoughts are - BMX riders are going to love this.<p>I'd be interested in seeing it in more detail as whilst the design does seem to possibly be wheelchair accessible, it does seem to have some stepping upon the up and down slops.<p>Though nice design on many levels, feels like the railway foot crossings may leap out of the Victorian era designs into something a bit more tomorrow. Which if you want to see what many footbridges look like - <a href="https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/03/victorian-footbridge-restored-for-passengers-on-derbyshire-railway-station.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/03/victorian-footbridge-re...</a>
will tick many a quaint and tourist box but for daily use or those less able to climb such gradient stairs, not much fun.
i'm curious what problems these bridges are trying to fix?<p>i guess that current pedestrian bridges are expensive.<p>it makes me think -- wouldn't a crossing at grade (at the ground level) be cheaper? better? allow wildlife to still cross easily? fit more nicely with 'the environment'?<p>i guess having a bridge could be safer. at least statistically. maybe?<p>what's the real agenda?<p><a href="https://www.alamy.com/blaenavon-wales-july-2020-two-people-cycling-over-railway-tracks-on-a-level-crossing-image366946002.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.alamy.com/blaenavon-wales-july-2020-two-people-c...</a>
There's zero redundancy in this design... I'd give it a hard pass. If any one of those triangles broke, it would fall, derail a train, and cause a disaster.
Did anyone else go read the article to see actual train bridges? Like the kind the train drives across? Especially titillated because train bridges have been pretty train bridgey for the last +150 years and the promise of something new was exciting?<p>I feel dumb. And had.
"Stunning design" it is not, and what if you're approaching from the other direction? Now you've gotta do this awkward S-shaped motion just to cross the bridge<p>What's stopping this from being incorporated into a more traditional bridge?
I’m all for new and better designs. I’d just want these proven for all kinds of foot traffic, not just two people crossing it.<p>What happens when teenagers all cram into one, or a marching troop goes over one?<p>I think it wasn’t too long ago a footbridge failed to take into account synchronized steps (marching) and swayed under foot traffic.