I understand your feelings but engineering is an iterative process, what they created here was a prototype with 3 goals:
- Lower cost
- Quicker install time
- Aesthetics
Now the team can go back with the lessons they learned and modify the design.
One thing I noticed upon a second reading is how much they were emphasizing the remote monitoring capabilities.
>is that the bridge will feature built-in monitoring to monitor usage and maintenance needs.
The cynic in me reads this as yet another step in cutting staff for inspection but it may possible that they are planning on deploying this style bridge to more rural locations where there may be unofficial crossings of hiking trails.
