Gail Ryba Pedestrian Bridge
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bohannan Huston (BHI) was chosen by the City of Albuquerque to design this project, which provides a vital link between the pedestrian trails west of the Rio Grande with the Paseo Del Bosque Recreation Trail. A new pedestrian/bike trail leads from the existing paved trail near Coors Boulevard and Ouray Road, south along Coors to where the West Bluff Drainage Outfall concrete box culvert (CBC) becomes exposed. The path follows the CBC east toward the Rio Grande using the top of the CBC as the riding surface. From a point where the CBC angles under the I-40/Rio Grande Bridge, the trail spans the river on a structure parallel to I-40.
BHI services included developing the projects, coordinating the design effort with the involved agencies, and preparing a comprehensive construction package. The new construction ended with a connection to the Paseo Del Bosque Recreation Trail. Aesthetic design was a primary consideration in the conceptual design phases of this project as this location is highly visible to I-40 and Bosque Trail users. Ultimately the project consisted of an 1,100 LF prefabricated pedestrian bridge, 3,500 LF of multi-use trail, 900 LF of retaining wall, drainage measures, and a trailhead parking lot.