Houston Police Memorial Pedestrian Bridge

Houston, Texas is a city that occupies high ranking slots on many national scoreboardsa few are: leading economic growth, high population density, large land area, and many languages spoken. Houston is the first word that came to us from the moon, and is the city that hosts the worlds largest Livestock Show and Rodeo. Running through the heart of the Nations fourth most populous city is a meandering waterway called Buffalo Bayou. Buffalo Bayou and her associated parks are centerpieces in the largely industrial community. While the bayou and multitude of parks are attractive social hot spots to visitors and recreationalists, some sections of land along the banks are more native and pristine than others. The great attraction to these areas of old growth and pristine vegetation sparked a movement to restore natural vegetative species and eliminate invasive ones in many areas; a movement that now represents numerous multi-million dollar restoration and preservation projects for the bayou and her parks.

The components of the project include the railing, railing cap, and pylonsall weighing in at an astronomical 50,000 lbs!

The new promenade at Buffalo Bayou Park is one such focal point receiving a cosmic face lift. Accompanying the native plant species and abundant trails are many foot bridges designed to carry pedestrians out of the chaos associated with downtown-life and into an out-of-this-world, peaceful, natural environment.

Breathtaking, dramatic lunar lighting systems were engineered and installed to mimic the natural phases of the moon. Sections of this impressive light-show can be seen while standing on the Houston Police Memorial pedestrian bridge. Designer James Fehrle was given the opportunity to furnish the bridge with permanent steel embellishments; and he spared no detail in the design process.

The components of the project include the railing, railing cap, and pylonsall weighing in at an astronomical 50,000 lbs! Each piece of the project was carefully and beautifully fabricated; however it is the 8 pylons that steal the show.

Running the length of the railings of the Police Memorial pedestrian bridge; four moon-bearing pylons (each constructed of 3 sheets of steel) tower high along each side, seeming to reach toward the cosmos. Each sheet of steel has been fabricated to include small, intricate cut-outs that illustrate the phases of the moon. The complete set of 8 pylons consists of over 3500 moon shaped cut-outs, each roughly the size of a half-dollar coin.

When the time came to choose what type of finishing to apply to these immense, metallic works of art, hot-dip galvanizing seemed like a no-brainer.

In order for his standards to be met, James Fehrle was in need of an expert in the field of galvanizing. With a record of outstanding work for over a half-century, the galvanizer knew they could get the job done with no problems. The size of the material would easily fit in their massive equipment and with years of excellence in the industryit was a given their zinc coating would be clean and flawless on all components. The intricate moon cut-outs would not require special attention because every item galvanized in their four kettles receives the same special attention to detail.

The reasons for Mr. Fehrles choice in a galvanized finish for the project are numerous. The naturally occurring, zinc metal coating offers countless benefits during the life of the structure. This abundant element produces a finish that is cost effective and environmentally friendly to create; from production, to use and end-of-life, and finally to the recycling phasehot-dip galvanizing finishing is in a league of its own. The metallurgically applied zinc will impede corrosion in Houstons perpetually humid climate, as well as protect submerged components as they routinely go under water. Located in a park that advocates sustainability and offers a truly stellar ambiance; these galvanized steel structures will not require maintenance for decades to a century to come. The magnificent shine of the zinc coating can only be aesthetically enhanced by the glimmers of light illuminated by the stunning recreation of the moon phase lighting.

Similar to a supernova, the desire to create such a wonderful work of art was born from an explosion of appreciation for nature, beauty, and detail. Yet as the supernova slowly dims and fades away, these glorious structures created by James Fehrle and the galvanizer will live on indefinitelywaiting for those who appreciate nature, beauty, and detail to witness the marvel of extraordinary craftsmanship.