Basic bridge Cross Sections can be defined in LEAP Bridge to describe the roadway surface. Individual cross sections are referred to as templates, and the collection of templates constitute a cross section set.

A cross section template is composed of planes defined from left to right for the template looking up-station. The template definition describes a series of connected planes representing the roadway surface. The user must define the station at which the cross section template is to apply.

LEAP Bridge Steel uses adjacent template definitions and linearly interpolates between them (if they have the same number of planes) to develop the instantaneous section at a station. The distance from alignment centerline to profile grade may also be specified; it may be specified as a fixed distance, or the user may define the profile grade position by specifying a plane reference element.

The extreme left and right cross section edges define the extents of the deck slab.