Posted in ERT
The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation is seeking public input on a newly proposed design for the Lambert’s Point Pedestrian Bridge; part of a trail reroute that would remove the need to navigate a busy roadway. Local news organizations are covering the plans as WPA and the foundation share concept drawings with community organizations.
The key element of the proposed trail upgrade is a pedestrian bridge that would cross the Norfolk Southern rail lines at Jeff Robertson Park, formerly Bluebird Park. The current trail route includes a section along Hampton Blvd that passes beneath a railway overpass. The walkway there is dark, narrow, and close to the road, making it noisy and uninviting, especially for families with children.
The 10.5-mile multi-modal Elizabeth River Trail connects 28 unique Norfolk neighborhoods and is used by nearly 750,000 pedestrians and cyclists annually. The new overpass would create a stronger connection between the Lambert’s Point and West Ghent neighborhoods.
“The Jeff Robertson/Lambert’s Point Overpass replaces a weak point on the Elizabeth River Trail, in doing so, strengthens usability of the entire trail,” says Kindra Greene, executive director of the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation. “Access to trails and open spaces is healthy for people, communities, and business.”
The proposed design shortens the ERT section that loops around nearby industrial buildings and uses a prefabricated truss bridge that can be installed without disrupting train traffic. Monopile concrete columns on each side would support the structure. A gently sloped approach with sections made from retired flatbed rail cars would provide ADA access for wheelchairs and a comfortable slope for people walking and biking.
Additional proposed features of the Jeff Robertson Overpass include:
- Staircases on either side of the truss bridge for quick navigation
- Lighting beneath the bridge
- Railings high enough to safely accommodate cyclists
- Steel fiddle leaf fern patterns under the bridge to mimic the ERT Glowline
- Opportunities for public art and didactic signage on railway, city, and neighborhood history
The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation submitted the overpass design to Norfolk Southern for preliminary engineering feedback. The entire Elizabeth River Trail is a designated rail trail, with the initial right of way dedicated to the city by Norfolk Southern Corporation.
“This project is about creating a safer, more welcoming connection for everyone who uses the Elizabeth River Trail,” says WPA founder Mel Price, who also serves as vice chair of the foundation. “We wanted to design something that is functional, beautiful and deeply connected to the history and character of Norfolk.”
The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation will now begin seeking feedback and funding for the overpass design due diligence. WPA helped launch the foundation and provides master planning services pro bono along with engineering firms advising on the pedestrian bridge – Timmons Group, VHB, and Kimley-Horn.