29.08.2024 | Aluminium Association

Three pedestrian crossings made of aluminium alloys have been installed in the Nizhny Novgorod, Tula and Ryazan regions. The bridges are designed in a way that allows for the installation of structures with minimal need for manpower. Just four people are needed for each object, and there is no need for heavy special equipment. The design bureau of the Aluminium Association was responsible for creating the crossings. Since 2017, 19 aluminium bridges have been built in Russia, including one road bridge. Previously, such projects were never carried out in our country. Such innovative bridges have also been installed in Moscow, Tula, Samara and Krasnoyarsk.

The glazed pedestrian crossing made of aluminium alloys built in Ryazan is the fourth of its kind in the Central Federal District. The bridge was commissioned by the Ryazan region Directorate of Roads. The assembly and installation of the superstructure were carried out by the contractor company, KMK LLC of Ryazan. The crossing on the section from the intersection of Kasimovskoye Highway and Sovetskoy Armii Street to the Northern Ring Road is 27 metres long and has a walking lane with a width of 3.64 metres. The weight of the superstructure, made from AD35T1 alloy, is 12.8 metric tonnes. The bridge is outfitted with two lifts. Its roof is made of monolithic polycarbonate, and it also features side glazing, which allows pedestrians to use the crossing with comfort in any weather condition.

Glazed Aluminium Alloy Pedestrian Crossing in Ryazan

The aluminium bridge in the city of Uzlovaya is the second one in the Tula region. In October 2020, a new bridge was opened in Tula as part of the 'Safe and High-Quality Highways' national project. This bridge was the first one made of aluminium alloy in the Central Federal District. It was built near the Tula Suvorov School and the Patriot-Tula military and patriotic leisure park. The new object, commissioned by the administration of the Uzlovaya District municipality, also became a landmark. It is an above-ground pedestrian crossing made up of two spans over the railway tracks at the Uzlovaya-1 station of the Moscow Railway. This means that the aluminium crossing over railway tracks is the second in Russia, following the one over the Trans-Siberian Railway in Krasnoyarsk. The superstructures manufactured by the Krasnoyarsk Metallurgical Plant (KraMZ, part of the Aluminium Association) have a length of 72 metres and a walking part 3 metres wide. Their weight is 44.4 metric tonnes. The bridge has two lightweight spans of 72 metres; there is only one support in the middle. Burbau LLC installed the spans in just two hours, causing minimal disruption to the railway traffic.

Пешеходный переход через железнодорожные пути в Тульской области

The construction of a pedestrian crossing at the eastern entrance to Nizhny Novgorod from the M-7 Volga highway in the Kstovo district coincided with the City Day, celebrated in the region's capital every third Saturday in August. KraMZ and PIK of Nizhny Novgorod manufactured the pedestrian crossing structures, and the commissioner was the Directorate of Motorways State Public Institution of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The length of the superstructure is 30 meters, and the weight of the structure is 14.5 metric tonnes. The Nizhny Novgorod region once again demonstrates its leadership in the field of aluminium alloy bridges. A road bridge, three pedestrian crossings, and seven pre-fabricated bridge sets used as river crossings have been installed here. Moreover, in every type of construction, the region has become a pioneer in our country.

Pedestrian crossing at the Eastern entrance to Nizhny Novgorod from the M-7 Volga highway in Kstovo district

The increasing popularity of aluminium bridge construction is due to a number of factors, the most important one being its economic efficiency over the structure's entire life cycle. Aluminium is a light and durable material that does not corrode. Its light weight greatly simplifies the installation process. Large-sized bridge structures are fully manufactured in a factory. Their assembly can be done on the highway's right-of-way. Installing a pedestrian crossing span only requires a partial traffic restriction and takes no more than two hours. It is possible to build and rebuild aluminium bridges even in densely populated residential areas and wooded landscapes. It is possible to transport aluminium bridge structures to remote and inaccessible areas, which significantly expands the area where aluminium solutions can be used in bridge construction.

'The construction, installation, and maintenance of bridges made of aluminium alloy helps to conserve resources, including human resources. Structures can be installed in just a few hours with minimal human effort, which is particularly important when the personnel resources are limited. The cost of facility support is also minimal, which helps save the regional budget,' stated Irina Kazovskaya, Co-Chair of the Aluminium Association.