As part of their Senior Design Capstone course, Civil & Environmental Engineering students created designs for improvements to Manchester's Schram park, including a pedestrian bridge over the Maquoketa River, a parking lot, and a trail connection that links to the existing trail network.  

The goal of this project was to revitalize the Schram Park area and provide an easier means of transportation between the park and the city of Manchester. The project aimed to increase the functionality, accessibility, and design of the park, parking lot area, adjacent trail, boat ramp, and pond bank. These improvements to the infrastructure are meant to refine the park’s image, promote foot and bike traffic, and make it a more welcoming environment.

To further attract and accommodate park users, the design of a quarter-mile long trail system with a pedestrian bridge over the Maquoketa River was used to connect the existing trail loop around the park’s pond with the bike path that runs parallel to Brewer Street. As the Maquoketa River is the project’s largest geographical and environmental consideration, a detailed analysis of its hydrological conditions and behaviors was completed to assist in designing all these components for the project.

The final report included detailed costs estimates and recommended project phases that consider the city’s budgetary constraints and the need to build public support for the project.