The Padden Parkway Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge
Clark County, Washington
Source: Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)
The ramp leading up to the bridge.
Problem
Communities in east urban Clark County were divided by the Padden Parkway, a four-lane parkway with few at-grade crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists. It became obvious that as development in the area continued, a separate access bridge was needed to allow for pedestrian and bicycle crossings.
Background
Development in the form of subdivisions, services and commercial activities are planned on both the north and south sides of the Padden Parkway. This new development generated the need to create a pedestrian/bike bridge over the parkway to meet the needs of the growing community. The county's 20-Year Comprehensive Growth Management Plan stresses the linkage between land use and transportation and the pedestrian-bike bridge crossing over Padden Parkway was a crucial development for the implementation of this plan.
Aerial view of the bridge during construction.
Solution
Planning for the Padden pedestrian/bicycle bridge began in 1998. The design and construction of the bridge took four years and was completed in August of 2003 at the cost of $2.6 million. The bridge is 560 ft long, 14 ft wide and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bridge over Padden Parkway connected at each end to a multi-use path that was separated by the parkway. The bridge also led to the future site of a park and ride facility on the Padden Parkway.
The area surrounding the parkway's pedestrian/bike bridge connected two extremely isolated parts of the community that would otherwise only be accessible by automobile. Surrounding undeveloped land would most likely be developed in the near future based on the area's rapid growing rate. The Padden Parkway Bridge was a proactive step to associated problems that may arise in the future.
Results
Three months after the bridge was completed a pedestrian and bicycle count was conducted on the Padden Parkway Bridge. The study was conducted for two hours on three different days, both on weekends and weekdays, at different times during the day. The following results were found:
| Date/Time/Weather | Eastbound Peds | Westbound Peds | Eastbound Bikes | Westbound Bikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri. 3/5/04 4-6 PM Sunny, fleeting cloud cover, no rain | 16 | 13 | 3 | 4 |
| Sat. 3/6/04 1-3 PM No rain, haze w/ sun breaks | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| Wed. 2/10/04 7-9 AM Clear, sunny | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
Contact
Pete Capell
Department of Public Works, Director
P.O. Box 9801
1300 Franklin St
Vancouver, WA 98666-9810
(360) 397-6118
Image Source
ITE Pedestrian Project Award Submittal. Clark County, Washington. http://www.ite.org/pedproject/ClarkCounty.pdf
