Temporary Bridges & Stairs
Our range of temporary bridges and stairs is used for both industrial and commercial work. Used by workers and pedestrians to cross awkward or uneven surfaces, these bridges are durable and long-lasting. Our aluminum trench bridge, built on a galvanized steel frame, is made for heavy-duty use in construction, and our railed trench bridge gives pedestrians safe passage over a trench, canal or ditch. The range also covers stepped steel bridges for longer spans, up-and-over stairs for routes crossed by pipes and cables, and stairways for access down into trenches and excavations, all built for foot traffic and light utility use.
Types of temporary bridges and trench stairs
The range covers two jobs: carrying foot traffic over an open trench and taking workers down into one, so the first choice is whether people need to cross the excavation or enter it.
Railed trench bridge
The railed trench bridge is a flat aluminum crossing with reflective side rails and an integrated ramp, giving a step-free route over short trenches, ditches and canal edges. Its light weight lets a crew lift and place it by hand, which makes it the usual choice for crossings that move often on telecom, utility and municipal jobs.
Aluminum trench bridge with galvanized steel frame
The aluminum trench bridge carries an anti-slip aluminum deck and a ramp on a galvanized steel frame that stands up to impact and corrosion on busy sites. It comes with a wider walkway as well as the standard width, and it is the one to choose when wheelchair and stroller users share the route.
Steel pedestrian bridge with stairs
The steel temporary pedestrian bridge is a modular galvanized steel frame with stairs at each end and an anti-slip deck, and it spans up to 27.7 ft. Choose it for wide excavations on routes used only by site workers, where the gap is longer than a flat bridge covers and steps at each end are no obstacle.
Up-and-over crossover stairs
The up-and-over crossover stairs lift the walkway over pipes, hoses, cables and other obstructions lying on the ground, and they give ANSI-compliant pedestrian access. Buyers often order a flat trench bridge for this job, but a flat bridge rests at ground level and cannot clear anything in the route, so where an obstruction has to stay in place, the crossover stairs are the correct product.
Trench stairway
The temporary trench stairway is for getting into a trench: a galvanized steel stair with high-visibility handrails and anti-slip treads that sets against the trench wall or embankment and reaches trench depths up to 29.5 ft. Choose it in place of a ladder or improvised access wherever crews climb in and out of an excavation through the shift, and move it to the next location as the work advances.
Flat or up-and-over temporary pedestrian bridges
A flat, ramped bridge is the right format when the route has to be step-free and the trench is short, and a stepped bridge is right when the span is longer, when an obstruction has to stay on the ground in the route, or when only site workers will cross. The flat format keeps the deck close to grade with a ramp at each end, which is what wheelchair users, parents with strollers and anyone wheeling a light cart need on a public or mixed route.
A stepped bridge raises the walkway on a steel frame with stairs at each end, so it reaches across a wider excavation in one crossing and leaves clearance under the deck for whatever lies below.
Temporary bridges for construction access
Utility, telecom and drainage trenching
On utility, telecom and drainage work the open section of trench moves along the street or site as pipe and cable go in, and the crossing has to move with it.
Sidewalk diversions and municipal works
Where an excavation cuts across a sidewalk or public walkway, the crossing is used by people who are not part of the crew, including wheelchair users, parents with strollers and people walking after dark. The ramp, the reflective rails that show up in low light, and the edge skirting available for the aluminum trench bridge are the details that matter here, and the same requirements apply to canal and drainage maintenance access on public land.
Event sites with cable and pipeline runs
Event and festival grounds carry power cables, water lines and temporary pipelines across walkways used by staff and visitors. Crossover stairs keep feet off hoses and cables lying on the surface, and flat ramped bridges cover runs laid in shallow channels.
Trench crossing bridge span, load and material
Once the type and format are settled, the remaining choices are span, load and material.
Span and bearing at each end
Measure the open width at the top of the trench, then choose a length that lets each end sit on firm, level, undisturbed ground set back from the edge, where the soil has not been loosened by digging or spoil. On soft or wet ground, ground protection mats under the approaches give the ends a firm base, and a narrow slot that a person can step across is better covered with trench cover plates than bridged.
Foot traffic or vehicles
Every bridge in the range is built for pedestrians and light utility use. Heavy equipment and trucks crossing an open trench need road plates, and the rest of our ground protection and access equipment covers haul routes and soft ground.
Aluminum or galvanized steel
Aluminum is the lighter material and suits crews that move a bridge by hand several times on one job. Galvanized steel is heavier, resists corrosion and knocks over repeated outdoor use, and suits crossings that stay put for a longer phase.
Modular steel, aluminum and spiral temporary stairways
Beyond the trench stairway, three stair systems cover access up embankments, between floors and into deep excavations, and they are often set up alongside temporary bridges on the same site.
Modular steel stairway
The modular steel stairway is built from connecting steel units combined to suit the height being climbed, and it is secured to a concrete slab or to scaffolding. It is used on embankment slopes and for between-floor access during phased construction, where the stair stays in place for a phase of work.
Temporary aluminum stairway
The temporary aluminum stairway is a lightweight stair with an adjustable pitch that fits scaffolds and concrete structures. It suits internal scaffold routes, mezzanine access and temporary site entrances on projects where the stair is moved and reconfigured often.
Spiral stair tower
The spiral stair tower is a modular galvanized steel stair that is lifted into place by crane and reaches up to 60.5 ft within a compact footprint. It is the choice for deep excavations, shoring pits and confined work zones where a straight stair has no room to run.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A temporary bridge is a portable, freestanding walkway placed across a trench, ditch or excavation so people can cross while the ground is open. It is lifted out and reused once the trench is backfilled or the work moves on.
Service life depends on how often a bridge is moved, how it is handled and how long it stands outdoors. Aluminum and galvanized steel both resist corrosion, so a bridge that is inspected before each placement, cleaned of mud and stored folded can be reused across many jobs. Take a bridge out of service if a rail is bent, a fitting is loose or the anti-slip surface is worn.
Price is set mainly by span, walkway width and material, and for stepped bridges and stairways by the number of steps. A short flat bridge sits at the lower end of the range, and a long stepped bridge or a multi-module stair tower at the upper end. Each product page lists the price of every length, width and step configuration.
The aluminum trench bridge is modular, and multiple units can be positioned together to cover wider distances. Each unit still needs firm bearing at both ends.
The steel pedestrian bridge, the crossover stairs and the trench stairway are designed to deploy without fixings. What holds a freestanding bridge steady is firm, level bearing at each end, so the ground under the ends matters more than any anchor.
The railed trench bridge and the aluminum trench bridge have fold-down rails and handles, so they fold flat for transport on a truck or trailer and take little room in a yard. The steel pedestrian bridge and the crossover stairs are modular and foldable for relocation between phases. The spiral stair tower is relocated by crane.