Commercial Boardwalk Cost and Design Information - PermaTrak Blog 

The PermaTrak featured designer article series showcases top performing landscape architects and engineers who discuss their design perspective, current projects, challenges, and accomplishments.

Our latest featured designer is Kara Beck, PLA from Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd. (EEA). Kara is a Landscape Architect who enjoys using her attention to detail to create unique spaces specific for a project’s user to enjoy. 

We recently talked with Kara about her background, advice for new landscape architects, and her experience with PermaTrak on a recent project. 

For some commercial boardwalk projects, loading requirements and design codes require a stronger PermaTrak tread (a “plank” on a timber boardwalk). For example, our boardwalk at Farmington Canal in Cheshire, CT needed to be rated for H-15 (30,000 lb.) vehicles, a standard that can’t be met with our typical tread lengths.

The PermaTrak team is growing! We’re excited to welcome Kyle Stanton to our team as a Structural Engineer. In his role, Kyle will be responsible for project management, product/plan development, and sales support.

Kyle joins us from Tampa, Florida and previously worked as an Engineering Intern at The Structures Group and as a Foreman at Veteran Sod, LLC. He explains, “l gained valuable experience during this time [in Tampa], and I became very interested into the components of bridge design, as well as a newfound appreciation for the detail and precision that goes into a design such as that.”

We’re excited to welcome the newest member of the PermaTrak team, Aoife Kavanagh, as our Sales and Marketing Coordinator!

Aoife comes to us with marketing experience in a variety of industries, from clothing manufacturers to the food and beverage industry. Most recently, she was the Sales & Marketing Coordinator for a medical device company located in Charlotte, NC.

Julian B. Lane Park Expands, Including a PermaTrak Elevated Walkway

As part of the recent renovation at Tampa’s Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, PermaTrak has come alongside the city’s designers, engineers and landscape architects to install an elevated concrete walkway, which park-goers can use to enjoy the new sites and amenities.

The park’s $35 million renovation marks the most funding the City of Tampa has ever dedicated to a park. The new Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, opened to the public in May 2018, offers the community new access for kayaks, boating and aquatic sports, as well as tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a multi-use football field, areas for lacrosse and soccer and a performance pavilion with green spaces for concerts.

One question we hear often from engineers and architects is, “If the lifecycle of timber is so much shorter compared to PermaTrak, why is it one of your recommended foundations?”

Congratulations to Lower Gwynedd and Whitpain Townships (PA), who received a 2017 Montgomery Award from the Montgomery County (PA) Board of Commissioners!

Commercial Boardwalk Cost Estimates: PermaTrak 

Pedestrian Bridges at Quarry Park - Winston-Salem, NC

PermaTrak is pleased to announce that two pedestrian bridges have been installed at Quarry Park, located in Winston-Salem, NC. The park opened in August 2017 and covers 225 acres.

A 40-foot PermaTrak bridge connects visitors to a nearby residential area, and across the park, a 50-foot bridge goes through an oak forest. Park visitors can traverse the 1.25-mile Waughtown Connector Greenway, which connects the Quarry Park trail with existing Winston-Salem greenways.

Truss Bridge vs. Boardwalk System for Your Pedestrian Bridge Project

When designing a pedestrian bridge that crosses a wetland, creek, or stream, designers are faced with a choice—should you specify a truss bridge or a boardwalk system? Taking it one step further, what if the section of the trail you’re designing for is located in a remote area? I heard this question from a designer recently and thought I’d summarize my thoughts here…

First, it’s important to keep in mind that there are applications best suited for truss bridges, and there are applications best suited for boardwalk systems. Especially when it comes to pedestrian bridge design, there is no shortage of options for the engineer or landscape architect of record.

Hopefully what I’m sharing below helps you find the best solution for your project.