Pedestrian Bridge Over Road Design

Hi! my name is Cale Stites and I am a 10th grader at Southridge high school. My design for the "Make It Bridge" challenge is a pedestrian bridge that connects the Fred Meijer Standale trail across lake Michigan drive. Now people that want to walk the trail can cross the large road safely on an above ground bridge and still continue on the trail.

TinkerCAD

google maps

First, to make the connection across the trail, we need to find the best spot on the trail to put the bridge. Lake Michigan Drive cuts the trail directly in two, so it is a perfect spot to put the bridge.

Next, we need to design a bridge that can get across to the destination, is safe, and won't hinder traffic in any way. The bridge needs to be high enough to allow semi trucks or other tall vehicles through. In my design model, every millimeter equals 1 foot in a real-world setting. The bridge is also wide enough that many pedestrians will be able to cross safely at the same time. By not using any stairs in the bridge, it can also be accessible to bikes or even wheelchairs. For safety at night, there will be lights placed at regular intervals that will use light sensors to turn on just as it starts to get dark outside. The bridge will also have guard rails to ensure the safety of pedestrians.

The "Make It Bridge" challenge was a very fun challenge to do. I was able to learn more about how Tinkercad works and the design process that is used to engineer and fix real world problems.