As cities in the United States continue to expand, the need for connectivity increases with it. The City of Orlando has made this need a priority by seeking to create safe, comfortable and interconnected pedestrian systems. This commitment will hit a major milestone, the first of its kind in Orlando’s downtown area with the completion of the SR 50 Pedestrian Overpass in Spring 2019. I’m proud to have served as the Senior Project Engineer leading the Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services for the project, which connects Gertrude’s Walk to the Orlando Urban Trail (Dinky Line).

SR 50 (West Colonial Drive) sees an average annual daily traffic count of 39,000 vehicles per day, making it difficult for pedestrians and bikers to cross the busy road quickly and safely. The Pedestrian Overpass crosses SR 50 between the Garland Avenue and Orange Avenue intersections, ideally located in a high pedestrian traffic area near various residential areas and business districts.

As the prime CEI consultant on this high-profile project, we knew that there would be a lot of eyes watching our every move. That’s why I was teamed with my colleagues to manage, administrate and provide all inspection services. As with all projects, we knew that if we pulled together in the same direction by communicating and respecting all team members involved, then we would be successful. Our team was key in contributing many elements to the project, including:

• Extensively coordinated with nearby stakeholders and adjacent projects
• Made certain that Local Agency Program (LAP) funding requirements were met
• Provided on-site engineering inspection services to monitor construction progress and conformance to the contract plans and documents.

The steel truss bridge, Orlando’s first pedestrian overpass in the downtown area, adds to the aesthetic Orlando skyline through embedded LED lighting, an 88-foot tall pylon and cable supports. The $9.3 million recreational bridge is open to the public and is connecting nearby residents, businesses, venues and more.