BRIDGE OF SIGHS

BRIDGE OF SIGHS

CLIENT // BRIDGE OF SIGHS

YEAR // 2015

CATEGORY // MUNICIPAL

WAS was engaged by Natchez’s City Engineer and the Historic Preservation Commission to assist in the design of a new pedestrian bridge along the bluffs of the Mississippi River in downtown Natchez. The bridge was designed to replicate the original bridge that spanned these same bluffs up until the 1900’s. Both the new and historic Bridge of Sighs was named after an ancient stone bridge in Venice, Italy. WAS played a key role in tackling several design challenges with grade change, alignment, and the integration of the new bridge with existing hardscape elements. Brick retaining walls, raised planters, and ADA accessible ramps were used to accommodate the grade change while minimizing the need for guard rails. Plantings were strategically designed to soften the hardscape and to blend seamlessly with existing vegetation along the bluff’s greenspace.