Charles Emerson Bridge. Newark, DE.

Under DelDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program, and at the request of the City of Newark Department of Parks and Recreation, WRA provided the conceptual design and construction documentation for a 230-foot single-span prefabricated truss bridge over White Clay Creek. Constructed in 2022, the bridge is a separated walking and bicycling connection parallel to the west side of the existing Paper Mill Road bridge. It provides a direct local, low-stress connection for all ages and abilities to walk and bicycle between Paper Mill Park and Olan Thomas Park. Some project site constraints include environmental, an adjacent road bridge that is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and the creek’s designation as a National Wild and Scenic River.