The Summit Bechtel Reserve is an 11,000-acre outdoor and training reserve in Fayette and Raleigh counties in West Virginia, operated by Scouting America.  The property provides scouts and various groups hosted at the facilities with high-adventure activities, leadership training, programming, and is the permanent home to the National Scout Jamboree.

Within the Summit Bechtel Reserve sits a crossing and landmark feature, the CONSOL Energy Bridge, a pedestrian-only suspension bridge designed to resemble an eagle’s wing tip. The bridge spans almost 800 feet and sits 100 feet above a ravine.    

The bridge connects the Scott Summit Center with Camps A and B and includes an observation walkway at its peak.  The bridge is designed to support thousands of pedestrians during special events such as the National Scout Jamboree.

During the bridge’s original construction, Strongwell provided DURAGRID® fiberglass grating on flanking walkways bending above and below the main walkway, while locally-sourced lumber was used for the 15-foot-wide main walking surface with wooden support members that connected them to the bridge’s steel superstructure. On a recent refurbishment cycle, it was determined all the wooden components needed to be replaced. With durability and longevity as key factors, Strongwell was asked to provide a composite-focused solution. For the walking surface, Strongwell recommended its award-winning STRONGDEK®, an ultra-high performance structural composite decking system designed for commercial, residential, and aquatic applications. To replace the rotting wooden structure, EXTREN® square tubes were chosen, attached to the steel of the bridge using FRP clip angles and 316 stainless steel fasteners.

Strongwell’s proposed solution promoted simplicity of installation and minimized future maintenance concerns. The contractor was pleased with the simplicity of installation, noting how consistent the product quality was and how simple it was to fabricate and install. The end user was pleased with the products’ light weight, strength, and expected durability over time. Because of STRONGDEK’s snap-on top cap, if any future aesthetic changes are desired, or damage occurs to any of the walking surface, the structural plank can remain in place while the top cap is removed and replaced with basic hand tools. This two-part deck board ensures minimal downtime and maximum safety, since no structural components will need to be removed.

Upon completion of the refurbishment project, Rob Seiter (Manager of Facilities) commented on how well the installation went and how nicely the nearly 13,000 square feet of STRONGDEK decking material complimented the aesthetic wing tip design of the bridge.

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