In 2024, the Town of Oakville embarked on an ambitious project to replace aging pedestrian bridges on its network of community trails. These trails, interwoven through green spaces in an urban setting, are vital for pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with mobility challenges. The bridges not only provide safe passage over natural obstacles but also serve as critical links connecting neighborhoods, offering people a way to navigate off busy streets. Recognizing the importance of these structures, the municipality prioritized durability, accessibility, and aesthetic appeal in their replacements.

A unique obstacle that faced the team was handling the variety of loads that would pass over the bridges. They would need to plan for every kind of transportation, from pedestrians to emergency vehicles, weighing nearly eight tons. The bridges required modern accessibility standards and needed to be wheelchair friendly. An even bigger question faced the customer: “What coating protection would allow the bridges to stand strong long into the future?” The only choice was hot-dip galvanizing.

A partnership formed between the fabricator and the galvanizer to strategize a solution that would endure for generations and blend seamlessly into Oakville’s scenic green spaces. Galvanizing offers unmatched protection against corrosion, ensuring the steel structures will remain robust for decades without the need for frequent maintenance. Alternative options like painted steel or weathering steel would have required regular upkeep or posed aesthetic challenges in a humid environment. These regular maintenance checks would cost the customer greatly in both time and money.

An obvious challenge that presented itself to the fabricator and galvanizer was the size of the material. Large, single-piece bridges presented logistical hurdles and required the teams to strategize the most efficient process for dipping material of this caliber. The fabricator innovatively decided to overcome this challenge by splitting the bridges into two large sections and reassembling them in the yard. This was paramount for the project to produce perfect quality and a distortion-free finish throughout the material. As one project member noted, “Not only did the galvanizing look good, but it was executed without distortion.”

The result was a series of bridges that are extremely durable and aesthetically pleasing within the Oakville surroundings. A now sleek and modern design replaced the wooden-frame bridges that stood there just months prior. Not only did the bridges blend into the environment, but they are now 100% sustainable because of the use of zinc, a naturally abundant element within the galvanizing process.

Today, the new pedestrian bridges continue to stand strong because of the decision to use hot-dip galvanizing. The galvanizer chosen for the project was able to provide quality customer service and support to the fabricator, verifying vent and drain holes were placed correctly and that all deadlines were met for the project. Any pivots or changes throughout the project were communicated across the teams, guaranteeing uninterrupted production from start to finish.

The Oakville Pedestrian Bridge Replacement project is a safe, accessible passage for thousands in the community. For nearly 100 years because of hot-dip galvanizing, the bridges will continue to service the area and remain aesthetically beautiful for generations to enjoy.