The Areté Structures fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) truss bridge and underslung bridge are ideal solutions for a remote location where a long-span bridge is needed. Our truss bridges are lightweight and easy to install, which means no heavy equipment is necessary for the installation. FRP requires minimal maintenance and has a 100+ year lifespan. FRP bridge parts are small and easily transportable, learn more about FRP bridges here.
Truss Bridge
Design Style
The truss bridge design is the most cost-effective design for longer clearspans. Our design is the ideal bridge for clearspans ranging from 25 to 80 or even 100 feet long. This design option always comes with a railing, which is inherent to the truss bridge design.
Structural Design Elements
These items are essential and fundamental bridge elements.
- Foundation/abutments and piers (for multispan)
- Truss
- Floor beams and outriggers
- Stringers (supports the decking)
- Decking
Underslung Truss Bridge
Design Style
Our underslung truss bridge design is unique to Areté Structures. All the structural members (components) are below the bridge decking.
This underslung design is an excellent option for anyone wanting to add their own decking and railing material for aesthetic or functional purposes.
Our underslung design is the ideal bridge for clearspans ranging from 40 to 65 feet long.
Decking Material Options
We provide you with two decking options for your truss bridge. You can select from timber or our lightweight FRP decking.
FRP decking is maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant, and is high skid resistance. Learn more here.
Where to Build a Truss Bridge?
Whether you select the traditional bridge design or the unique Areté underslung design, they make great bridges for the below locations.
- Community spaces
- Equestrian trails
- Nature trails
- National parks
Your Areté Structures truss bridge won’t just meet your expectations – it will exceed them!
Truss Bridge Projects
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Sweet Run State Park FRP Truss Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsTags: VirginiaRead more: Sweet Run State Park FRP Truss BridgeIn 2019, Areté Structures provided a 52-foot FRP truss bridge kit for the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship. As a non-profit organization, they served as stewards of…
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Trail Bridge at the Seneca Creek Aqueduct
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Trail Bridge at the Seneca Creek AqueductThis 80-foot-long bridge, built in 2019 is located along the C&O Canal Towpath trail on the northern shore of the Potomac River. Areté worked closely with the contractor…
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Upper Dan Moller Trail Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsTags: FederalRead more: Upper Dan Moller Trail BridgeIn 2023, Areté Structures provided an FRP trail bridge for the Dan Moller trail, just outside of Juneau, Alaska. The bridge spans 31 feet and is designed to…
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Longfellow Bridge Seattle Washington
Read more: Longfellow Bridge Seattle WashingtonAreté Structures assisted the Seattle Department of Transportation and Public Utilities when they needed to replace an existing timber pedestrian bridge and boardwalk. The bridge and boardwalk were…
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Sunset Bay State Park FRP Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Sunset Bay State Park FRP BridgeThis fifty-foot by eight-foot Areté FRP trail bridge is located in Coos Bay Oregon at the Sunset Bay State Park. This bridge was delivered in 2018 and constructed…
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Whites Mill Pedestrian Bridge 2
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Whites Mill Pedestrian Bridge 2In February of 2024 Areté Structures supplied a thirty foot by ten-foot FRP Truss Bridge for the Whites Mill Trail in Warrenton Virginia. The Fauquier County Parks and…
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Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Oregon State Parks and Recreation DepartmentAreté Structures designed, fabricated and supplied eight unique pedestrian bridges for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department in the fall of 2018. These bridges were dark brown in…
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60’ FRP Bridge for Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: 60’ FRP Bridge for Chattahoochee River National Recreation AreaAreté Structures was contracted to supply a 60 foot by 5-foot FRP truss bridge for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Georgia. This olive-green bridge with timber…
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Bridge and Boardwalk for William Finley National Wildlife Refuge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Bridge and Boardwalk for William Finley National Wildlife RefugeIn the summer of 2023 Areté Structures provided 2 fully engineered FRP truss bridges and 400 linear feet of additional FRP decking to the William Finley National Wildlife…
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Multiple Bridges for Oakley City Utah
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Multiple Bridges for Oakley City UtahIn 2023, Oakley City Utah purchased 3 FRP truss bridges. These bridges are located on the Weber River Pathway, a non-motorized pathway that follows the Weber River Corridor…
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Lyon Court Connector
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Lyon Court ConnectorAreté was contracted to design and manufacture the Lyon Court Connector, an FRP pedestrian/bicycle bridge that is part of the Greenway Trail Projects in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.…
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FRP Bridges for Bountiful Utah
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Bridges for Bountiful UtahAreté Structures designed, fabricated, and supplied two bridges for the City of Bountiful Utah in the fall of 2023. The bridges were assembled and erected by Northend Builders…
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Backbone Trail FRP Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Backbone Trail FRP BridgePROJECT OVERVIEW In the summer of 2022 Areté Structures designed, fabricated, and delivered a forty foot by six-foot long FRP Truss Bridge to the National Park Service in…
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Redwood Forest Equestrian Bridges
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Redwood Forest Equestrian BridgesIn 2019 Areté Structures supplied (3) bridges to the National Park Service for the Redwood Forest in California. These three bridges are on the Mill Creek Horse Trail…
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Kimbell Creek Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Kimbell Creek BridgeProject Overview In the summer of 2021, the Superior Hiking Trail along with the USFS purchased a fifty-foot Areté FRP truss bridge to replace an older trail bridge…
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FRP Bridges For Dragon Trail in Stanwood Michigan
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Bridges For Dragon Trail in Stanwood MichiganProject Overview In the Fall of 2021 Areté Structures supplied (2) FRP Truss bridges to Flowtrack Mountain Bike Trail Builders. Flowtrack constructed and installed both bridges on the…
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FRP Bridges for North Country Trail
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Bridges for North Country TrailProject Overview The Michigan Department of Natural Resources needed two prefabricated FRP pedestrian bridges. The new structures would be replacing current bridges that were in poor condition due…
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Raymond Brook Preserve Trail Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Raymond Brook Preserve Trail BridgeProject Overview In July 2021 Areté Structures delivered a 65’ x 6’ FRP Truss Bridge Kit to the Town of Hebron CT. The town assembled and installed the…
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Ravine Trail Bridge North Conway New Hampshire
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Ravine Trail Bridge North Conway New HampshireProject Overview In July of 2021 Areté Structures supplied a thirty-foot FRP Truss Bridge to the White Mountain Trail Collective in North Conway New Hampshire. The bridge was…
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Fire Retardant FRP Bridge for the City of Redding California
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Fire Retardant FRP Bridge for the City of Redding CaliforniaProject Overview In April 2021 The Redding Trail Alliance in partnership with the City of Redding California built a 70 foot by 5 foot Areté Structures FRP Truss…
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Lower Clear Creek Trail Bridge Replacement
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Lower Clear Creek Trail Bridge ReplacementProject Overview Areté Structures supplied a 60’ long by 5’ wide Brown FRP Bridge with sloped end sections to the US Forest Service in the Bridger Teton National…
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FRP Bridges for Grandfather Golf and Country Club
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Bridges for Grandfather Golf and Country ClubProject Overview Arete Structures supplied (5) custom FRP bridges for the Grandfather Golf and Country Club in Linville NC. The bridges were fabricated at Arete Structures in Blowing Rock…
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Equestrian Bridge for the Town of Woodside California
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Equestrian Bridge for the Town of Woodside CaliforniaIn June of 2020 Arete’ Structure supplied a 50’x6’ FRP Truss Bridge for the Town of Woodside California. The bridge is olive green has timber decking and sloped end…
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Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge in Hot Springs Arkansas
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge in Hot Springs ArkansasProject Overview In the fall of 2019, IMBA Trail Solutions purchased a 48’x4’ Areté Structures truss style bridge. The bridge was installed in Hot Springs Arkansas on a…
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FRP Equestrian Bridge Kit, for Tuckahoe State Park
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Equestrian Bridge Kit, for Tuckahoe State ParkProject Overview In the fall of 2019 Areté Structures supplied a 30’x6’ prefabricated equestrian bridge to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The DNR reported that the bridge…
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Buncombe Trail Bridge, Newberry South Carolina
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Buncombe Trail Bridge, Newberry South CarolinaProject Overview In the Spring of 2019 Arete Structures designed and supplied a 60’ FRP truss bridge for the Buncombe Horse Trail in the Francis Marion and Sumter…
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FRP Bridge for Enoree OHV Trail
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: FRP Bridge for Enoree OHV TrailProject Overview On June 24, 2019, Black Diamond Trail Design installed a 35-foot Areté Structures FRP trail bridge. Installation of the abutments and approaches required two team members…
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Pennsylvia DCNR Snowmobile Bridge for Tioga State Forest
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Pennsylvia DCNR Snowmobile Bridge for Tioga State ForestAreté Structures supplied a 35-foot by 6-foot FRP snowmobile bridge for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Tioga State Forest District 16. The decking for this bridge…
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Redwood National Park FRP Bridges
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Redwood National Park FRP BridgesProject Overview For this unique project Areté Structures got to work closely with the client to design this FRP underslung truss pedestrian bridge. The project required a two-span…
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Boulder, CO
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Boulder, COProject Overview In November of 2017 Areté Structures designed and supplied a fully engineered pre-fabricated clear span FRP bridge kit for the Boulder County Parks and Open Space…
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Arlington, TX
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Arlington, TXProject Overview Areté Structures designed, supplied an delivered a 43-ft x 5-ft FRP bridge for the Waterway Park Home Owners Association in Arlington, Texas. This bridge is olive…
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Munising Bay Mountain Bike Trailhead Project
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Munising Bay Mountain Bike Trailhead ProjectProject Overview This project consisted of the construction of a mountain bike trail for the Munising Bay Mountain Bike trail system. Arete’ Structures designed and supplied a 36ft…
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Replacement of Cooper River Pedestrian Footbridges
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Replacement of Cooper River Pedestrian FootbridgesOwner: Camden County Parks Department, Camden County NJ This project included the removal of 5 pedestrian bridges and construction of concrete footing and reinforced concrete abutment walls for…
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Chicopee Woods Project
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsTags: FederalRead more: Chicopee Woods ProjectFRP Pedestrian Bridge Northeast Georgia Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), in partnership with the City of Gainesville and the Chicopee Woods Area Park Commission, with funding provided by…
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Mountains-to-Sea Trail- FRP Bridge
Category: FRP Truss Bridge KitsRead more: Mountains-to-Sea Trail- FRP BridgeMountains-to-Sea Trail