BP Pedestrian Bridge

BP Pedestrian Bridge
The BP Bridge viewed from The Buckingham in Lakeshore East (June 12, 2008)
Coordinates41°52′58″N 87°37′14″W / 41.8828°N 87.6206°W / 41.8828; -87.6206
CarriesPedestrians
CrossesColumbus Drive
LocaleChicago (Cook County, Illinois)
United States
Characteristics
Designgirder bridge
MaterialStainless steel, reinforced concrete, and hardwood
Total length935 feet (285.0 m)
Width20 feet (6.1 m)
Clearance below14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m)
History
DesignerFrank Gehry
Engineering design bySkidmore, Owings and Merrill
Construction endMay 22, 2004
OpenedJuly 16, 2004
Location
Map

The BP Pedestrian Bridge, or simply BP Bridge, is a girder footbridge in the Loop community area of Chicago, United States. It spans Columbus Drive to connect Maggie Daley Park (formerly, Daley Bicentennial Plaza) with Millennium Park, both parts of the larger Grant Park. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry and structurally engineered by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, it opened along with the rest of Millennium Park on July 16, 2004.[1] Gehry had been courted by the city to design the bridge and the neighboring Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and eventually agreed to do so after the Pritzker family funded the Pavilion.[2][3][4]

Named for energy firm BP, which donated $5 million toward its construction, it is the first Gehry-designed bridge to have been completed.[5] BP Bridge is described as snakelike because of its curving form.[6] Designed to bear a heavy load without structural problems caused by its own weight, it has won awards for its use of sheet metal. The bridge is known for its aesthetics, and Gehry's style is seen in its biomorphic allusions and extensive sculptural use of stainless steel plates to express abstraction.

The pedestrian bridge serves as a noise barrier for traffic sounds from Columbus Drive. It is a connecting link between Millennium Park and destinations to the east, such as the nearby lakefront, other parts of Grant Park and a parking garage.[7] BP Bridge uses a concealed box girder design with a concrete base, and its deck is covered by hardwood floor boards.[8] It is designed without handrails, using stainless steel parapets instead. The total length is 935 feet (285 m), with a five percent slope on its inclined surfaces that makes it barrier free and accessible. Although the bridge is closed in winter because ice cannot be safely removed from its wooden walkway, it has received favorable reviews for its design and aesthetics.

  1. ^ "Category: Intensive Industrial/Commercial". Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. 2005. Archived from the original on June 8, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2008.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference RfGPtg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference AWCDTHETAFC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Aobthbbt2c was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cohen, Laurie (July 2, 2001). "Band shell cost heads skyward – Millennium Park's new concert venue may top $40 million". Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBCCDFGLA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Daniel, Caroline (July 20, 2004). "How a steel bean gave Chicago fresh pride". The Financial Times. The Financial Times Ltd. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference G196-201 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).