Ditch corridor walkpath

Abstract

A walkway apparatus enabling lengthwise pedestrian utilization of the area above an open ditch and method for implementing the same. The walkway apparatus includes one or more walkpath surface sheets disposed lengthwise along the open corridor above the ditch. A primary support frame vertically supports the walkpath surface sheets above the ditch from one or both of the opposing ditch banks. In accordance with one embodiment, the primary support frame includes dual rail support members longitudinally disposed as substantially parallel tracks along each of the opposing banks such that the walkpath surface sheets are bilaterally supported along the opposing ditch banks. In an alternate embodiment, the walking surface sheets are unilaterally support from one ditch bank by a cantilevered vertical support frame.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for providing lengthwise pedestrian utilization of the area above a ditch, said apparatus comprising walkpath means disposed longitudinally within the open corridor above the ditch such that the walkpath means accommodate lengthwise traversal of the ditch.  
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of access portals disposed at multiple locations along the length of the walkpath means, wherein said plurality of access portals provide multiple discrete entry or exit points for pedestrian traffic along said walkpath means.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of access portals comprises a sloped ramp extending upwardly from an adjacent ground surface to a walking surface of said walkpath means.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of access portals comprises one or more steps extending upwardly from an adjacent ground surface to a walking surface of said walkpath means.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said walkpath means includes at least one substantially rectangular walkpath surface sheet longitudinally supported above the ditch.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one walkpath surface sheet is further characterized as comprising a translucent sheet that enables passage of sunlight therethrough to enable photosynthetic processes by plants growing within the ditch beneath said translucent sheet.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said translucent sheet is comprised of a material selected from among the group consisting of fully translucent material, semi-translucent material, fully transparent material, semi-transparent material, or semi-opaque material.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said walking surface sheet includes multiple vent holes for permitting ingress and egress of gases and liquids through said translucent sheet into and out of the ditch.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising vertical support means fixedly secured to one or both of the opposing banks of the ditch wherein said at least one walkpath surface sheet is removably supported by said vertical support means over a lengthwise segment of the ditch.  
     
     
         10 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the vertical support means comprises a cantilevered frame extendably supporting said translucent sheet from one of the opposing banks.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the cantilevered frame comprises multiple cantilevered trusses extended from the one of the opposing banks.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the vertical support means comprises dual rail support members longitudinally disposed as substantially parallel tracks along each of the opposing banks such that said at least one walkpath surface sheet is bilaterally supported along the opposing ditch banks.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the dual rail support members comprising one or more concrete blocks disposed lengthwise in parallel along each of the opposing ditch banks, wherein each of the concrete blocks includes a shoulder groove for receivably engaging the lateral edges of the walking sheet.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each track of the dual rail support members are aligned end-to-end along each of the opposing ditch banks, said aligned dual rail support members having intermittent gaps enabling lateral ingress and egress of water flow into or from the ditch.  
     
     
         15 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the dual rail support members include holes penetrating laterally therethrough to enable lateral ingress and egress of water flow into or from the ditch.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising walkpath support means that translates vertical support from the vertical support means to said at least one walkpath surface sheet.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said walkpath support means comprises at least one metal grate member bilaterally supported by said vertical support means.  
     
     
         18 . A walkway apparatus enabling lengthwise pedestrian utilization of the area above an open ditch, said walkway apparatus comprising at least one translucent sheet disposed lengthwise along the open corridor above the ditch.  
     
     
         19 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the length to width ratio of said at least one lengthwise disposed translucent sheet accommodates lengthwise pedestrian traffic lengthwise along the open corridor above the ditch.  
     
     
         20 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the length to width ratio of the at least one longitudinally suspended translucent sheet is at least ten.  
     
     
         21 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising guardrails disposed in parallel along the lateral edges of said at least one translucent sheet.  
     
     
         22 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of access portals disposed at multiple locations along the length of the walkway apparatus, wherein said plurality of access portals provide multiple discrete entry or exit points for pedestrian traffic along the lateral edges of said walkway apparatus.  
     
     
         23 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said plurality of access portals comprises a sloped ramp extending upwardly from an adjacent ground surface to a walking surface of said walkpath apparatus.  
     
     
         24 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said plurality of access portals comprises one or more steps extending upwardly from an adjacent ground surface to a walking surface of said walkpath apparatus.  
     
     
         25 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one translucent sheet is comprised of a material selected from among the group consisting of fully translucent material, semi-translucent material, fully transparent material, semi-transparent material, or semi-opaque material.  
     
     
         26 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , said at least one translucent sheet having an upper surface facing upwardly away from the ditch and a lower surface facing downwardly toward the ditch, and further characterized as comprising material enabling passage of sunlight from the upper surface to the lower surface and through the lower surface into the ditch to enable photosynthetic processes by plants growing within the ditch beneath said at least one translucent sheet.  
     
     
         27 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one translucent sheet includes a non-skid surface.  
     
     
         28 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the ditch is further characterized as selected from the group consisting of ditches, channels, or canals.  
     
     
         29 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the ditch is characterized as including running in close parallel proximity to a vehicular traffic roadway.  
     
     
         30 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said translucent sheet includes multiple vent holes for permitting ingress and egress of gases and liquids through said translucent sheet into and out of the ditch.  
     
     
         31 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising primary support means for supporting said at least one translucent sheet along the open corridor above the ditch from at least one of the opposing banks of the ditch.  
     
     
         32 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein said primary support means comprises a cantilevered frame extendably supporting said translucent sheet from one of the opposing banks.  
     
     
         33 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said cantilevered frame comprises multiple cantilevered trusses extended from the one of the opposing banks.  
     
     
         34 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein said primary support means comprises dual rail support members longitudinally disposed as substantially parallel tracks along each of the opposing banks such that said at least one translucent sheet is bilaterally supported along the opposing ditch banks.  
     
     
         35 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein each track of said dual rail support members are aligned end-to-end along each of the opposing ditch banks, said aligned dual rail support members having intermittent gaps enabling lateral ingress and egress of water flow into or from the ditch.  
     
     
         36 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said dual rail support members include holes penetrating laterally therethrough to enable lateral ingress and egress of water flow into or from the ditch.  
     
     
         37 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising secondary support means that translates vertical support from said primary support means to said at least one translucent sheet.  
     
     
         38 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said secondary support means comprises at least one metal grate member bilaterally supported by said primary support means.  
     
     
         39 . The walkway apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein said dual rail support members are further characterized as being concrete blocks on which said at least one translucent sheet is supported above the banks of the ditch.