Northampton DPW and OPS Team: Sara Mercier, Rose Moser, Caytie Campbell-Orrock
2014-2015: In collaboration with the Northampton Department of Public Works (NDPW), the Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability (NOPS), and two community groups (the Leeds Civic Association and the Mill River Greenway Initiative), this student team designed an access spur for the MassCentral Rail Trail to connect to Main Street and Hotel Bridge in Leeds, MA.
After visiting the site and determining the key physical, regulatory, and economic design requirements, the team generated conceptual designs to traverse safely the 20-foot elevation drop adjacent to the existing trail and selected one to pursue. The team then modeled and refined their selected design in Civil3D, evaluating and finalizing design parameters such as path location, retaining wall geometry and placement, and soil import volumes. The team also developed designs for site drainage and erosion control, construction staging and setup, trail and roadway signage, and crosswalk details.
The team delivered final construction drawings and specifications plus a detailed cost estimate to their NDPW/NOPS liaisons. The project can be submitted for construction bidding once the City has secured sufficient funding.