Historic Bridge Railing Options
Historic Bridge Railing Options
Original railing on a historic bridge likely will not meet current crash-test requirements. It also likely will not meet current standards for railing height (a minimum of 27 inches) and limits on the size of openings in the railing (small enough that a 6-inch sphere cannot pass through them). Options for upgrading the railing on historic bridges usually include the following:
- Place an approved traffic railing inboard of the existing railing, leaving the existing railing in place. This is sometimes appropriate when a pedestrian walkway exists on or is planned for the bridge.
- Replace the existing railing with an acceptable approved railing. Possible close matches to some historical railing include Types T1P, T66, T402, C2P, C402, T411, C411, C412, or C66.
- Remove the current railing and incorporate it into a new acceptable railing. This may be appropriate in rare instances where an existing railing is especially decorative.
- Design a special railing to match the appearance of the existing railing. It may not be necessary to crash test the new railing if the geometry and calculated strength equal or exceed a crash-tested railing.