Abstract:To balance safety, aesthetics, and economy in bridge widening projects, using a coastal bridge as an engineering case study, a widening method involving the transverse extension of the existing bridge deck using a steel-concrete composite structure is proposed. Detailing the structural design and construction methodology of this widening approach is focused on. The structural bearing capacity and crack resistance were verified through theoretical calculations, and the performance of the widened bridge was further validated via load testing. The proposed widening method facilitates strong mutual constraint between the steel and concrete components is demonstrated which ensures the structural performance is safe and reliable while simultaneously achieving excellent aesthetic integration and superior cost-effectiveness.