Cooper River Park measures almost 350 acres and occupies four townships in New Jersey. The main feature of this park is the Cooper River, one of the longest, unbroken straight river courses in the United States. Historically, this natural attribute made the navigable waterway infamous by becoming the preferred route to transport agricultural products throughout the northeast.

Today, the park and the river have been repurposed for outdoor sports such as competitive sailing and rowing, both of which generate millions of dollars in revenue for the surrounding communities.

When not hosting regattas, the park provides plenty of hiking, biking, strolling, and picnicking outlets for residents and tourists.

Recently, Areté Structures and Compass Construction designed and installed four pedestrian bridges for the Camden County Parks Department, who is responsible for maintaining the park. The parks department specified FRP for the structure of the four truss-style bridges. Each bridge varies in lengths from 25 feet to 40 feet and each measures 6 feet in width to easily accommodate two-way pedestrian and bike traffic.

The bridges utilized a truss network design outfitted with EXTREN® Series 500 structural shapes. The coupled use of Strongwell’s Design Manual and Areté’s pedestrian bridge knowledge allowed structural pieces to be pre-fabricated offsite and delivered onsite for ease of final assembly. Delivery and installation for each bridge was accomplished in a much abbreviated timeline in comparison to steel.

Through the introduction and retrofit with fiberglass components, structures like these FRP bridges ensure years of uninterrupted trail access for outdoor enthusiasts.

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