A footbridge is a bridge built specifically for people walking, not for cars, trains, or other vehicles. You might cross a footbridge over a busy highway, a stream in the woods, or a canyon on a hiking trail.

Footbridges can be simple structures, like wooden planks across a creek, or elaborate engineering projects, like long suspension bridges in parks. Some footbridges have railings on both sides for safety, while others in parks or gardens might be low and decorative, designed to be beautiful as well as functional.

Cities often build footbridges to help pedestrians cross safely where cars travel too fast or too dangerously for people to cross at street level. In nature, footbridges let hikers cross water without getting wet or disturbing fragile stream banks. The key feature that makes a bridge a footbridge is that it's designed for the pace, weight, and needs of people on foot, not vehicles.