Frequently Asked Questions

Use our free online Request A Quote form to begin the process. Fill in the details and we will work with you to develop an accurate quote for your project. If you prefer, you can visit our contact page to reach us by phone, fax or email.

The schedule from order to delivery is determined on a project by project basis. Use our free online Request A Quote form to give us details about your project. We can put together an estimate for your project that will include scheduling information. Most of our typical spans are shipped within 60 days of order.

E.T. Techtonics does not do installation. If you visit our installation procedures page you can review the different methods of installation. Depending on the type of bridge and the terrain installation can be performed quickly by a small number of people.

Park and trail bridges by E.T. Techtonics are typically designed to support pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian uses. They are also often designed to support ATV's, golf carts, and trail maintenance equipment. Our bridges can also be designed for light vehicle applications (10,000 lbs./5T) which includes cars, light pick-up trucks and ambulances. We do not provide vehicular or highway bridges.

Components in our bridge system are designed to be hand carried to the site. Usually the heaviest component weighs approximately 90 lbs.

Depending on the width the bridge system can be shipped assembled. Most of our clients prefer to have it shipped unassembled as this is the most cost effective approach.

Usually we splice bridges over 50'-0" due to shipping. We splice bridges under 50'-0" when requested by the client.

We have fabricated and shipped 65'-0" long components. Shipping is the major issue and expense when considering components of this length. There is a large cost savings when components of this length are spliced. We recommend splicing.

Our longest span to date is 100'-0". We can provide spans longer than this but the cost increases significantly as larger components are required to construct the system.

Yes. Note that most cambers require special shop fitting and cambered trusses must be shipped assembled, so this involves additional fabrication costs. Unloading and carrying these assembled trusses may also be more difficult at the jobsite. Assembled trusses for bridges up to 50’-0 in length usually weigh approximately 15 lbs./ft. Bridges over 50’-0 will have spliced truss sections, but due to the heavier components required in the design these sections will weigh approximately 25 lbs./ft. Most of our clients prefer a standard dead load camber only, which can be shipped in component parts for easier transport into remote areas.

Standard concrete foundations are typically used with our bridge system. We will provide you a drawing which details the required anchor bolt layout. Anchor bolts can either be cast in place or drilled/epoxied to suit. Clients have also successfully used helical piers with wood or concrete sills, and gabions with wood or concrete sills. We do not provide foundation design, anchor bolts, or soil evaluations.

We have done several bridges of this type. We can discuss the various design options with you and the related costs.

In marine type environments and extremely wet environments we specify stainless steel bolts. We recommend using grade 316SS over 304SS to insure that the fasteners will not exhibit any corrosion.

The most cost effective decking is standard pressure treated (ACQ) wood. We specify #2 Southern Yellow Pine as this is readily available in our area of the country. We recommend 2"x12" for typical pedestrian and bicycle applications. For equestrian, trail equipment and ATV type applications we use 3"x12". FRP composite deck is also available but adds additional cost to the project. This type of decking can be used effectively for pedestrian and bicycle applications. Recycled plastic lumber (such as Trex® and Trimax) can also be used but significantly increases the cost of the project. IPE (hardwood) has been used by our clients on occasions but again at additional cost. Some clients prefer to supply their own deck materials, such as Douglas Fir, which is not readily available in our area. For equestrian type applications we only recommend using 3"x12" as horses are sensitive to various textures and sounds of decking.

There is no governing standard for trail and park bridge design. For trail bridges the standard maximum opening between horizontal safety midrails is recommended at 9" or less. Typical codes which govern building design recommend a 4"maximum opening for all railings and stairways. Based on this some of our clients specify 4" openings.

Fiberglass has similar strength characteristics (tension, compression, bending) to that of steel and aluminum and significantly higher properties in comparison with reinforced concrete and wood. It is 1/5th the weight of steel and 1/2 the weight of aluminum. Its modulus of elasticity is similar to reinforced concrete. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is lower than that of steel and aluminum. Due to its high strength properties it is a viable lightweight alternative to traditional materials.

Fiberglass holds up extremely well in salt air and wet environments and is not affected by termites. Most of our spans in shady forest locations exhibit very little change in the appearance of the material over many years. In locations of strong constant sunlight (ultraviolet light) there will be color fading over time, and eventual possible surface deterioration of the material. This does not affect structural performance. We warrant the structural performance of our bridges for 15 years.

The fiberglass bridge system is designed to be virtually maintenance-free (a 15 year structural warranty is provided - see Bridge Specification).