Woolpert, Righter Co. Receive ABCD Special Purpose Bridge Award for Mohican Cable Pedestrian Bridge

MONTGOMERY, Ohio (April 1, 2022) — The Association for Bridge Construction and Design Ohio Chapters awarded the Mohican Cable Pedestrian Bridge its 2021 Ohio Special Purpose Bridge Award last night in Montgomery, Ohio. The suspension bridge was a $840,000 design-build project commissioned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and executed by Woolpert and The Righter Co.

The 120-foot-long bridge is in Mohican State Park in Loudonville, Ohio, midway between Columbus and Cleveland. Woolpert provided preliminary design services from concept through final plans, construction oversight and the coordination of subconsultants, including CTL Engineering Inc. for geotechnical engineering and Stone Environmental for environmental services like historical/archeological surveys and Scenic Rivers coordination. Righter served as the prime contractor, managing the project bidding and construction and stormwater pollution prevention for the construction site.

The Mohican Cable Pedestrian Bridge spans the Clear Fork River, a state-designated scenic river, and connects park campgrounds to trails and scenic overlooks. The bridge replaced the original suspension or “swinging” bridge that was built by the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939 and washed away in a 1969 flood. The design includes a stair tower on the north side that provides a minimum clearance of 10 feet above the water surface. The bridge, which opened to the public in May 2021, took less than a year to complete.

“We are so honored to receive this award from ABCD Ohio,” Woolpert Civil and Water Resources Leader Tom Less said. “Suspension bridges like the Mohican require complicated engineering, as well as highly creative design and an eye for constructability. This makes them extremely challenging but also really fun, embracing the adventurous spirit of the bridge itself. We were very thankful to have an outstanding design-build partner in Righter and a forward-thinking client in ODNR for this project. This is a great team, and we look forward to many adventures ahead.”

About The Righter Co.
The Righter Co. Inc. is a diversified general contractor that has completed hundreds of projects throughout the State of Ohio, and surrounding states.  The company is pre-qualified by the Ohio Department of Transportation for bridges of all types (ODOT level 3), culverts, earth retention, water and wastewater treatment plants, earthwork, grading, deep sewer and/or excavation, general building construction and demolition.  The company has constructed bridges, roadways, water/wastewater treatment plants, storm/sanitary sewers, waterlines, piling, earth retention, new buildings, and renovations of existing buildings. Our clients include Federal, State, County and local governments, along with many private industry owners.  For more, visit rightercompany.com.

About Woolpert
Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is an ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, has earned six straight Great Place to Work certifications and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been America’s fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. The firm has 1,900 employees and more than 60 offices on four continents. For more, visit woolpert.com.