Kansas City Riverfront

Technical Description:

• Width: 6.5 ft
• Span: 43 ft
• Style: Gateway^®
• Finish: Weathering Steel
• Decking: Ipe Hardwood

Kelly Taylor, general contractors and members of the Kansas City, Missouri Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America, was honored at the 2005 Building Excellence Awards. The firm was a finalist in the “Project of the Year by a General Contractor, in the ” $1 to $5 Million Category for their $4.1 million Riverfront Pedestrian Bridge project. The new Continental^® bridge provides visitors a wonderful place to walk and bike against the backdrop of the mighty Missouri River.

The bridge system is 630 feet long and includes an observation deck, (elevated about 70 feet above the river), elevator and retaining walls. It was constructed in a narrow, 60-foot right-of-way. The weathering steel bridge structure was designed and prefabricated in Alexandria, MN. Durable, low maintenance Ipe hardwood was used for the decking.

The project was not without its challenges. The Kansas City riverfront is a historically significant area, so all excavation work was done under the supervision of archaeologists. Since the pedestrian bridge crosses over a major three-track section of the Union Pacific Railroad, the Kelly Taylor team had to address several operational safety issues. Through good coordination with railroad officials, the work was successfully completed over a track system that sees over 200 trains a day. With the assistance of Kansas City Power & Light, power lines serving the area were shut down and relocated. The installation went smoothly and safely.

Technical Description:

• Width: 6.5 ft
• Span: 43 ft
• Style: Gateway^®
• Finish: Weathering Steel
• Decking: Ipe Hardwood