30' x 8' creek bridge

rtom

I need to span a creek with a foot/tractor bridge with side rails. Cost is a consideration but utility and safety are a must. Currently in place is a 3' wooden (2" x 12" planks) pedistrian bridge built on top of a 1930's hotel fire escape ladder anchored in concrete. This bridge can be utilized or removed.

Scuba_Dave

Where are you located ?

Gary in WA

Did you check with your City (Oklahoma) Land use at the Building Department, yet?

Be safe, Gary

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oh'mike

I wish I had pictures of these---I saw a bridge built using an old flat bed semi trailer---
Another in California that used a Flat bed rail road car.----------

Neither sounds like what you need,I just thought it was interesting.--Mike--

4just1don

More info needed,,,define tractor.

LOTS of difference between the BIG ones and the lawn type.

A arch type,pivot bridge may be about what you are looking for,depending on weight of tractor and other equipment/load as a guide. Most welders here can make such an item.

Or the flat bed truck or train car idea is also worthy of note.

Ask your county if they have any old steel bridges they are going to replace. They LIKE to re-purpose a golden oldie antique keeper.

rtom

Thanks for the reply...are you asking if big brother will allow me to replace a bridge that was built in 1938 with a new one? No, I haven't included the government in this project as it is not required.

Would you have to check with your local government in Washington state for such a project? If so, that is certainly excessive regulation and interference.

Leah Frances

Many places would require that local government be involved. Excessive or not it is a good policy to know whether or not your project needs permits/inspections/etc. Many watershed areas have STRICT rules about any construction in or around the immediate riparian regions.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

Scuba_Dave

Yeah, in most places actually any bridge that spans a creek/river must be approved by the Govt
Here I had to go before Conservation Committee to approve adding on to my shed & house since my entire lot is within watershed area w/a stream on my property
Even our small stream becomes flooded & can flood the road

Town had no problem with what I wanted to do, but they said without proper paperwork & approval the State could make me take it down if any problem was found
Pre-existing structures can be maintained
Major renovations usually need to be run by the proper Dept
If you aren't touching the support structure, just redoing the top, then usually not a problem

Of course if you are out in the middle of nowhere then not much of a problem
One guy on another site they were on 100 acre property
They redid culverts/bridges etc as normal maintenance on their property

jlhaslip

Assuming that you and your family will be using the bridge, wouldn't it be best to have a Building inspector or an Engineer do some work on confirming the safety of the bridge?

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beenthere

30 foot span 8 foot wide?

You'll need someone to do the structural annalist/design to take the weight of what ever tractor you want to drive across the bridge. Will probably need it designed to hold a lot more weight then you plan to ever drive across it.


Most if not all states have regulations for building a bridge across a navigable(defined differently by many states) waterway.

You may want to recheck with your state and local governments. Before you get a very large fine. And have to remove your new bridge.

Just because a waterway flows through your property. You don't have a right to build anything over it as you want.

forresth

we have always just got some solid concrete footings then used a bunch of pealed loggs alternating fat ends, then put some planks across.

we use these for vehicle traffic up to a loaded 3/4 ton dump truck. probably 8-10k lbs.

they have alot of flex (i remember laying down, looking over the side and fealing the whole bridge shake when the beagle walked across), but hold up fine until they start rotting in about 20 -30 years. then we cut and peel more logs. recently my dad decided to make the bridges covered. I tied the sides to the deck and it doesn't flex anymore.

we would have tried to take the bulldozer across it, but the ceiling is too low.

Brik

Here are two log bridges I built. No rails but I can get a small tractor across.



I have built a 55 foot one as well, no pictures but same construction. logs and decking.