Iowa footbridge features inspired LED design

Reminiscent of the support cribs used to shore-up the walls of coal mines, the High Trestle Trail Bridge in Central Iowa is visually captivating owing to its linear LED illumination with iLight Plexineon Blue Light fixtures.

A stunning LED installation is part of a project to link the 25-mile High Trestle Trail with other trail systems running throughout the state of Iowa. The half-mile-long bridge over the Des Moines river artfully pays homage to Iowa's rich railroad and coal mining history. The design firm, RDG Planning & Design, selected iLight’s LED fixtures based on their durability and reliability. “We’ve used iLight products on several other projects,” he says, “so we have confidence in their reliability,” said David Raver, lighting studio director at RDG Planning & Design. iLight Technologies has also provided the lighting for impressive architectural designs at Microsoft's office in Cambrige, MA and a rapid transit station in Eagan, MN. In this project, RDG Planning & Design was engaged to develop the artistic elements, conceptual design and lighting design related to the 41 steel frames that stand 13 stories high over the bridge. Within the 18 frames located directly over the water, specially constructed channels house Plexineon Blue Series fixtures from iLight Technologies Inc (Chicago, IL). Placed at strategic angles, the illuminated frames create the illusion of descending into a coal mine - or perhaps traveling through a time tunnel - while the lights emit a blue aura that suggests the water below. LEDs were chosen because of their ability to create a dramatic effect, while providing high reliability and durability. From the start, iLight worked with the firm to ensure smooth installation, including supplying detailed, custom drawings. Raver appreciated that the product - a total of 976 linear ft (~300m) -arrived in palletized, clearly labeled boxes. “It was a smooth process,” he says. “We were able to put all of the cribs up in a week’s time.” The final result is a new state icon that’s quickly become a destination for families, hikers and cyclists alike. The “wow” factor can be appreciated both while crossing the bridge on foot or by bicycle, and when viewing the bridge from a distance, especially after darkness falls.

About the Author

Laura Peters is a Senior Technical Editor with LEDs Magazine. Source:LED Magazine