Neill park, the Billy Goat bridge replica photo 2017 by M. P. Kelleher. From a 1991 memo.
October 15, 1991
Ed Kodet
Kodet Architectural Group Ltd 15 Groveland Terrace Minneapolis, MN 55403
Dear Ed,
As we discussed over the phone, the City would like to build a small footbridge in one of our parks that would resemble the historical landmark Billy Goat Bridge, which was torn down several years ago. Our concept is to have the basic support system for the footbridge made out of structural steel and then put on a facade of wood which would capture the essence of Billy Goat Bridge.
I have attached drawings showing what we are proposing. All the structural strength would come from the steel girders. The wooden post headers would be for appearance only. They would be attached to the bridge, but are not intended to be load bearing.
The bridge will be approximately 6 feet wide and would be for foot traffic only. It is not intended for use by cars or
motorcycles. A small utility cart would be the only vehicle which might go over it on a regular basis. Even that could be
eliminated if necessary or appropriate.
The City would like to have a structural engineer look at our design and determine if the structural elements, primarily the steel girders, are sufficient for our purposes. We are not looking for feedback on the aesthetic design, facade or non-load bearing elements.
I would appreciate it if you could have one of your structural engineers take a look at the design for us. If you have any questions or need some more information, please feel free to give me or Dave Grommesch, our landscape technician, a call.
