For their capstone project in Civil & Environmental Engineering, a team of students will partner with the City of Granger to design multi-use trail connections and segments that improve connectivity. 

The City of Granger seeks to improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity throughout the community by creating safe, accessible crossings. As Granger continues to grow, improving connections between neighborhoods, schools, parks, downtown, and the regional trail network is a community priority. Existing crossings at Highway 17 and Highway 141 limit access between residential neighborhoods and community destinations.

The project team will evaluate opportunities to improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings connecting the Twin Eagles neighborhood across Highway 17 and Beaver Creek Estates across Highway 141. The project will assess conditions and site constraints to develop conceptual engineering solutions that improve safety. The project will incorporate ADA accessibility and engineering best practices to create safer, more connected routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

The project team will:

• Evaluate existing conditions.
• Assess engineering alternatives for improving highway crossings and pedestrian safety.
• Develop conceptual trail connections that strengthen regional trail connectivity.
• Incorporate ADA accessibility, roadway design standards, and transportation principles into engineering recommendations.
• Prepare conceptual engineering designs that support future design and implementation.

Project deliverables may include: 

• Existing conditions assessment.
• Evaluation of crossing alternatives for Highway 17 and Highway 141.
• Conceptual designs for pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements.
• Preliminary engineering recommendations and planning-level cost estimates.
• Final report with preliminary engineering plans, maps, and cost estiamtes.