Patio Bol - Pedestrian Bridge
Joyabaj, Guatemala
The Patio Bol river is located in the Municipality of Joyabaj in the Department of Quiche of Guatemala. The river reaches many rural communities outside of Joyabaj. One such community, Xepepen, is stranded from the city when the Patio Bol river floods during the rainy season. The community's 30 families cannot access the local health clinic, school, and church. They are also cut off from the main highway, limiting them from many markets and employment opportuinties.
This pedestrian bridge is a senior design project by Rachel Beyer, Liam Sawyer, Kurt Wagner, and Kelsey Welch. The team traveled to assess the bridge site in August 2014. They surveyed, took hydraulic and geotechnical data, and spoke with community members to determine three different alternatives for the possible location of the bridge. The team designed the bridge during the 2014-2015 school year and traveled to Guatemala the following summer to bring it to life. The bridge is a 120 ft suspension bridge and is expected to receive 200 travelers each day.