Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge

The Tempe Town Lake Pedestrian Bridge connects bicycle and pedestrian pathways on the north and south banks of the lake, and links parks, recreational facilities, and new development with the Mill Avenue District, the heart of Downtown Tempe.  

TYLin’s innovative bridge design was inspired by the natural and built environs of Tempe Town Lake and its surrounding areas. The bridge features unique, crisscrossing parabolic arches that serve as a gateway into the Tempe Center of the Arts.  

Project Highlights 

• TYLI retrofitted the existing bladder dam structure to serve as the foundations for the new four-span steel pipe tied arch structure. 
• The superstructure comprises two 34-foot-high steel pipe crossing arches, with the concrete deck supported on steel floor beams and stringers that are bolted to the arch.  
• Delivery and assembly of the bridge was performed just downstream of the final location on the piers. 
• Two Manitowoc 3100 series 2 cranes, with 180 feet of cable each, were used to lift the four assembled 87.5-ton bridge structures onto its bearing locations.  
• Tensioning was done on all 128 steel cables, which crisscross each other and add to the bridge’s distinctive shape. 
• TYLin’s construction management team conducted regular meetings to monitor the schedule, cost constraints, and quality goals 
• TYLin also provided value engineering and worked closely with contractors to resolve complex welding issues.

Image Credit: Tom Paiva Photography