Thurston Avenue Bridge

Cornell University is one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions, located in Ithaca, New York, a beautiful upstate community. They needed a bridge, but not just any bridge.

The city-owned Thurston Avenue Bridge sees thousands of vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles every day. It’s a landmark over an idyllic gorge on Cornell's campus.

The city needed Fortress Fusion to coat rails and metal work that would complement the LED illuminated railings and match the color of the other structural steel in the bridge.

And all of that had to be done in the very short – four-month – construction season of upstate New York.

The city decided on our duplex system to put powder coat over galvanized steel to maximize durability in the harsh winters of Ithaca, New York. Great care was taken in packing and shipping.

The result is a functional piece of art on the campus of an Ivy League university; a credit to both art and engineering. It was nominated in 2008 for an award from the American Galvanizers Association.