Two suspension footbridges to prosperity in Nicaragua

Abstract

Today, it is estimated that more than a billion people in rural areas do not have safe access throughout the year to markets, schools, healthcare treatment and other critical resources due to river flooding. This fact prevents the economic and social development of those communities. The construction of footbridges that span over impassable rivers allow access to those critical resources throughout the year. This article presents the construction of two footbridges in Nicaragua in 2017 and 2018, thanks to the collaboration between FHECOR Consulting Engineers S.A. and the US NGO Bridges to Prosperity. To involve the locals in the construction was conceived as a vital fact to ensure the maintenance and adequate performance of the structures in the long term.