Extendable Walkway Over Creek

Hi usbport, yes I agree with you. This is just a start to get some ideas. We actually move into the property in December. but a small walkway was the first thing that came to mind when we bought it. Thanks:)

Silly me. I should have known you hadn't actually moved on to the property yet and were planning to ask your local council about a walkway. I must have missed that in your original post.

Thanks everyone for your interesting ideas..

A Draw Bridge maybe a solution in some instances but not in this case because there are lots of large trees growing along the river bank. I would have to clear large branches & that's another issue all together. Like JE in Chicago said "the rules & regs will be largest engineering feat".

i will get some pro advice regarding an extending walkway.

Once again thanks����

Might be an idea, if Ivan can get down to the water safely.

Ivan is the reason you want to bridge the creek because has salties in residence?

Do you have a spare vehicle? How about a bridge attached to a truck that can be driven on fixed rails to the edge acting as a counterbalance to the bridge?

Vertical poles can be affixed to the bed and cables running from the front bumper to the bridge to support it. As for making it remote controlled...could be done but it's complex.

Drew K

_{<can't believe nobody liked my zipline idea!>}

I was gonna' go with a Tarzan swing....You would get to do the yell every time you crossed!

And when you slip off the "vine", rope, etc., you would stop the Tarzan yell, and start

squealing when you see Ol' Salty hungrily eyeing your descent.

Any other bits of information you'd like to share?

Nothing like wasting time proposing solutions, only to be told you'd already thought of that, or there is some other bit of info that invalidates the concept.

In Chicago they would just pay the alderman a bribe then get Guido to "tenderize" the neighbors into agreeing to a union deal to build the bridge with money from the slush fund at City hall. It works very smoothly!

How about a rope with 2 knots to stand on and hold like George of the Jungle - 'Watch out for that treeeee..." - JHF

Zip lines are cheaper and more fun! With the drop getting over there would be easy, getting back would require a platform or an electric motor.

But me being who I am...with a river handy, I would want to make some rube goldberg water powered device that would hoist a counter weight that would haul me and my shopping back across.

But if a bridge is what you want, given the blessing of the council a rope bridge would require the least effort and cost. A metal bridge, I would make a swing style using a counterweight. Picture a double pillar on your side with cables going to the bridge that swings out and extends to the other side and cables going to a shorter section of platform that extends back over your property that holds the counter weight. I could draw it up for you...but that costs money :-p

Drew K

A simple hinged drawbridge, as tcmtech suggested is the way to go.

Much simpler than an extendable bridge. Swing up when not in use.

I agree with Lyn on the drawbridge. You might even put a hinge in the middle so it folds as well. You should also check to see where the actual boundary for the council land is. Center of the stream, or maybe your side?

Something like this?

I'm thinking of a large round steel post in the ground (with a truck load of concrete at the base for ballast)

On top of the post is a large Y shaped frame to hold additional steel ballast on one side and your ingenious little extending gondola on the other. It could be something as simple as a loop for the foot, but it would be easy to make something with seat in a basket of sorts. It would also be easy to make human powered with the exception of the return swing.?. moving people with swift style and simplicity. How could the town object? Show them how it's the best thing for the environment as well as the local economy.

What could go wrong? Put a bird on it and call it functional art! Use it for as long as you can! Get blessing of the local schools engineer team..

the rules and regs are sadly the largest engineering feat.

Another thing. I think a neighbor with a drawbridge to town would be a popular neighbor.

WAIT WAIT!

I just had a thought from my automatic gate days...

...honey I'm home!

Well you could go with a traditional draw bridge design, but with an aluminum extension ladder with aluminum plate over the rungs....

...or you could go with something more heavy duty...

Definitely NOT an aluminum ladder.

They are not designed/intended for this type of service.

It's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

So it's supported in the middle....the aluminum plate screwed to the ladder will stiffen the structure....

The answer is still an emphatic NO!

Crossing ice in the middle of the Arctic is hardly a safe practice and certainly not in compliance with any local, state or national codes or a sane thing to do. It's much too narrow.

A bridge like that ladder crossing would lead to a whole lot more than groceries being spilled!

I think it's Australia, so their laws, if any, may be different.

Hopefully no one in a wheel chair will need to use it.

Apparently, he is near north coast of New South Wales. The term north coast is confusing to me (like so many other things), since it is the east coast of Australia.

Apparently, he will need magnets on those boots and an iron bridge walking down-under.

When I see the words, " New South Wales ", this is my first thought ( I don't know if it is historically accurate ) .

The people that settled there came from the southern part of Wales, since there already was a Wale's and it wasn't called, " Old Wales " , then it would have to be called, " New " , like, York, Jersey, Delhi, etc.

Why is New South Wales on the east coast of Australia ?

Here may be some reasons: It's their country.

The southern, northern and western part of the country were already taken, so the eastern part was all that was left.

Since Australia is in the southern hemisphere, and water goes down a drain in the opposite direction than water goes down the drain in the northern hemisphere, then what is north in the northern hemisphere is actually south in the southern hemisphere / east is west , etc.

Maybe none of these and a person from New South Wales could offer the correct explanation.

They have states just as we do. NSW is southeast coastal state and extends into the mountains to the west. We were just there last week and it is a normal state with fairly normal citizens (for Brits anyway).

I didn't know the Arctic was a state ?

You might poke your eye out!

If the bridge, walkway, or zip line cannot touch council land, how is it that your feet are allowed on council land either?

Maybe you can make your case, they can gain easier access to the far side of the creek from their lands with your bridge in place, then it could be a normal bridge.

Hi

How wide is this creek and how high are the banks? are they banked or vertical a little more info to determine a structure

Before a bridge can be proposed, I think some information needs to be supplied.

1. Who or what is, " The Council " ?

2. Although the OP says one side of the, " Creek " is 10-12 feet higher than the opposite side, there is no mention of how many feet it is from the council side of the creek to to the bottom of the creek.

3. Is the creek, a dry Creek, a creek with slow moving water, or a creek with rapids ?

4. Are the banks of the creek sandy, clay, hard rock face, dirt, loose rock ?

5. Has a soil analysis and environmental impact report been completed ?

I would think that at least the geological conditions would be required to determine the engineering needs to construct a proper bridge.

Meccano?

The bridge that James May ( Top Gear ) is crossing, looks like it was built using the Erector Set, I played with when I was a young boy.

Push a gum tree over. It will probably continue to live and the branches will grow up to give supports for handrails. After recent rains and winds no-one could accuse you of pushing it over. OR plant a strangler fig and do this http://inhabitat.com/extraordinary-living-bridges-are-made-of-growing-roots-and-vines/ Jim

Like this;-

Buy the land the other side, build a proper bridge.

Oz, NSW you say....?

The Soil Conservation Service will have serious words with you, their remit is very broad.

All waterways, even on private land, have a wide activity exclusion zone along each bank where even dead fall may not be disturbed, so, good luck with getting permission to construct a cantilevered bridge, even on the bank that you believe to be yours. If permission was granted there would be $ome $eriou$ condition$ impo$ed.

The boat idea would work.

One has to ask why a crossing of convenience hasn't already been built from the time before the SCS.

Talk to the Shire engineer.

Can you pole vault?

Have you considered a catapult to send you over the water? Is the creek navigable by canoe or rowboat?? How deep is the water? You could just don waders and walk through.

2 Km would be a short bike trip or a 4x4 would be very economical transportation.

You just need the right vehicle....

Who owns the creek?

Something that floats will be structurally easier and lighter to place/remove. I could see a string of about 20 rectangular blow molded floats or fiberglassed Styrofoam, hinged together so that they uncoil like a party favor and float on the water. At 30' long, any structure you build will require some significant weight to carry a load across the creek.

I recall a project where a pair of Styrofoam overshoes were fitted so that a person could effectively walk across the water and I recall from a 1984 engineering competition in Machine Design where a bicycle was fitted with inflatable pontoons and a propeller that would allow it to drive on a road, but also ford any water along the way. It also had deployable hydrofoils that would allow it to achieve 35MPH under human power on water.

You could also just buy an amphibious ATV and drive anywhere "the man" would allow you to go.

2M water walking Zorb ball.

You just need some stilts....

Be all set for Hallooweeen....

Army Surplus? :-)

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Engineer/Tompkins%20folding%20bridge.jpg

I was going to say rope swing but somebody already did.

How about a cherry picker with remote control? I could pick you up on one bank and deposit you on the other.

Then you could try a trebuchet. You would have to work on your landing technique.

How about a hang glider? Get a good run and glide your way across.

If you combined the trebuchet with the hang glider you could probably fly all the way to town.

Build a ski jump...

You are worrying over 2Kms? I understand that seems very wasteful to drive a car that short of a distance, but that can be ridden on a road bike in 4 minutes, and a cargo capable bike in 5. In and back and you have 1/3 of your minimum required daily exercise. (forget this if you are disabled and didn't mention it)

If the creek is used by fishermen or canoe/kayak users, any "bridge" extended over the water would be a hazard. Have you thought of a jet pack or something similar to Evil Knievel's ideas?

This bridge rolls up into an octagon when not in use...via hydraulic pistons....

http://happypontist.blogspot.com/2011/12/london-bridges-19-rolling-bridge.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Rolling_Bridge_opening_and_closing_(300px,_5x_speed).ogv

PVC or recycled plastic pontoon bridge....

Looks perefctly safe to me....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh0o2zNOx8Y

Theoretically, you could build a self-counter-balancing (accordianing)-style bridge that might only cost 10,000 times the gas you would use to drive to town...

Get a sturdy bicycle instead, and enjoy the scenery...

And get some (more) exercise, while you're at it...

The simplest way is usually the best way.Try the method at this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP32iWoqjnQ

Now try that Fierljeppen with a bag or two of groceries in hand. No cheating with cloth or plastic bags, use paper. I can see that ending badly in approximately 10/10 attempts for some.

I would attach a pivoting basket on the end of the pole so that the bags would stay level during transit.

Pole shaped like a TEE,with a basket on each arm,with a eye hook for easy detachment of the basket with a clip,like a carabiner.

After a few practice crossings,one should be able to make a smooth landing,even carrying eggs.

In Holland,if they miss,they end up in cow poop,so they seldom miss their landing.

But many a newcomer has provided humourus entertainment for the locals when they landed in the ditch because it looks so easy.

If you think grocery shopping is inconvenient,look at these children going to school.

The girl has her brother in a sack because he is afraid of heights.

The braking system is a forked stick jammed into the pulley when nearing the other end.

I wish everyone was that determined to get an education.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259691/The-children-ride-40mph-zip-wire-quarter-mile-high-to-school.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259691/The-children-ride-40mph-zip-wire-quarter-mile-high-to-school.html

How about a SUP? (Stand up paddleboard) https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/paddleboarding.html