Dalton Pedestrian Bridge

The creation of the bridge serves as a way to bind the divided city of Dalton, GA. Within the city, the population consists of a solid divide between the Hispanic and Cuacasions, as the population is 48.5% Hispanic and 41% Caucasian. However, the divide is more than race. The divide consists of culture: including everything from food, music, language, and religion. However, one thing that binds our city is soccer and all-inclusive community events, as we are known as Soccer Town USA. Receiving the state title in soccer from every high school within the county.

The bridge will be in a location that will merge both communities, allowing for one Dalton. As the bridge will have endpoints off of N. Glenwood Avenue, a main road at the end of a lower socioeconomic area with an 83% Hispanic rate; and Burr Performing Arts Center, where many of the downtowners put on all-inclusive events in a higher socioeconomic status part of town. This location would allow those from the lower socioeconomic area of Dalton to freely and safely participate, in events put on by the community, and the open free play at the park in the growing downtown division.

The bridge would also allow for a safer area as families will be able to cross the train tracks safely without having to use the extremely dangerous W. Waugh bridge with no sidewalk and a speed limit of 35 mph and without having to pay for another taxi in order to catch a ride.

Lastly, the bridge would allow people within the community to create relationships with people they would never have had the opportunity to before, all through the love of the game of soccer and other events put on by the community. This is the solution to bridge the gap in the Dalton community.

I

I started by brainstorming different places within my community that would be in need of a pedestrian bridge. A place that would bridge more than one gap.

I came to the conclusion that the main divide within the Dalton community is a cultural divide. The cultural divide includes everything from language, music, and food. But one thing that binds Dalton together is the love for soccer as out town is Soccer Town USA. So I chose the location for the bridge strategically, where both communities would be connected at a park to enjoy a game of soccer and community events in the downtown area.

With all of the background knowledge, I began to design a bridge using the Darr design on TinkerCad. I designed the bridge with shade on one side so that it would protect the picnic tables in the summertime. In addition, I worked on the design so that the bridge would successfully clear the train tracks underneath.

My end result was a bridge that satisfy Dalton's needs, both physically and culturally. Connecting every type of person in some way to the downtown area. By providing a safe way to the other side of the tracks and by allowing for more mixed cultural interactions.