Old Salem Pedestrian Bridge

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Constructed in 1998 (sketch) as a project by NCDOT, the Old Salem Pedestrian Bridge provides a pedestrian overpass over the Old Salem Bypass (Highway 52) at Old Salem, site of North Carolina's first Moravian community.  The structure is located approximately mid-block between Walnut Street and Salem Avenue, adjacent to, and immediately south of the new extension of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts.  Old Salem, the restored 18th Century Moravian Museum Village, is a historic district which is included in the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark.

The Old Salem pedestrian bridge is a timber Burr arch truss bridge (named for early 19th Century American bridge builder Theodore Burr) which compliments the characteristics of Old Salem's Moravian heritage.  The structure spans approximately 120' over Old Salem Bypass with 17' vertical clearance over the roadway, and a 12' walkway.  The bridge is framed with two massive Burr-arch trusses, 15'-10" in height with a 5' rise.  The arches spring from two cast in place concrete, stone-faced abutments.  The western landing of the bridge has stairs and a wheelchair ramp, meeting the American with Disabilities Act requirements, providing access to the bridge from the strollway.  East of Old Salem bypass, the structure connects to an elevated concrete walkway leading to the stairwell and ramp, which connects to Main Street.

 
ASCE NC Web Director