The Footbridge is constructed of iron and jarrah timber. Originally accompanying the large Railway Station, this Footbridge was built in 1917 and stands as a landmark heritage feature on the main street of Ashburton. The current Footbridge replaced an earlier small wooden bridge built in 1911.

The Footbridge crosses the rail tracks some 200 metres south of where the Station was located with ramps descending at right angles both towards the town centre and towards the Station building. It is larger than many footbridges of the time with its 84 foot (25.6 metre) span. Today, the only surviving example that exceeds this is the 97 foot (29.5 metre) span of the Dunedin pedestrian over bridge.

• Heritage NZ Inventory: https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/7665
• District Council Heritage: https://www.ashburtondc.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/46254/Heritage-Item-13-Ashburton-Railway-Footbridge.pdf