Sansin Wood Finishes Protect One of the World’s Longest Span Wooden Bridges
STRATHROY, Ontario – Set over the Bow River in the town of Banff, Alberta, Canada, the Bow River Pedestrian Bridge, with a clear span of 80 meters, is considered the longest timber bridge of its kind. Two specially selected Sansin Enviro stains were chosen to protect the bridge’s wood structures.
Two 40 meter tapered haunch girders, cantilevering from either side to support a central 34-meter suspended span, formed the bridge. A replaceable, modular timber deck sits atop twinned, arched glulam wooden beams that form part of the span across the Bow River. Because vibration is a key consideration when constructing long-span footbridge structures, the designer developed a unique “tuned mass damper” system that enabled the use of wood for the low-profile structure.