Scott Myers, center, executive director of Miami County Park District, along with, left to right, Doug Haines, president of the Miami County Park Commission, Dr. Robert Malarky, park board member, Leiann Stewart, executive director of the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau, Elizabeth Gutmann, park board member, Senator Steve Huffman, and Representative Jena Powell, cut the ribbon, officially opening the new suspension bridge over the Stillwater River, connecting Stillwater Prairie and Maple Ridge parks of the Miami County Park District, during a ceremony on Friday morning.
MIAMI COUNTY — The suspension bridge connection Stillwater Prairie and Maple Ridge parks of the Miami County Park District officially opened to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Maple Ridge side of the Stillwater River on Friday morning.
Miami County Park District Executive Director Scott Myers welcomed guests to the event, after which parks board president Doug Haines provided opening remarks followed by Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau Executive Director Leiann Stewart. Stewart noted that more than 1 million visitors came to Miami County Parks in 2020 with the new suspension bridge being a welcome addition.
Proclamations were presented by State Representative Jena Powell and State Senator Steve Huffman.
The project was completed in, from conception to opening, in around 18 months, in spite of the situation with COVID_19.
The bridge is a single-span pedestrian-only suspension-type bridge, built on weathering steel towers. Each tower is supported by drilled concrete shafts in limestone rock.The bridge is anchored with reinforced concrete stay anchors.
The towers at each end of the bridge are 18’6” and 22’ high and weigh 3,500 pounds, while the cables securing the bridge measure 2,272 feet in length.
The new bridge sits 15 feet above the river bed and one foot above the 100-year flood stage. The total length of the structure is 232 feet with 170 feet suspended over the water.
Bridge planks and platforms are made from rough hewn white oak.
Approximately 158 cubic yards of concrete were poured for the foundations, totaling around 640,000 pounds.
Rounding out the construction is the 344 bolts, 680 screws, and 1,250 square feet of mesh webbing tying everything together.
The approximately 18 month project was funded by Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program.
