Challenge
Charleston, SC is well known for its awe-inspiring live oak trees. Especially in a city like Charleston, they offer a unique character and deep sense of history. Both the City of Charleston and Charleston County work to create safe walkways for pedestrians while protecting these trees from damage.
These agencies needed to extend a sidewalk section at Hampton Park, maintaining ADA compliance without damaging the live oak tree roots that were coming out of the ground 6-8’’. Purchasing additional right of way and acquiring private property to completely avoid the trees would require a lot of time and money.
Solution
Eric Adams, P.E., an Engineering Manager at Charleston County Transportation Department, describes PermaTrak’s boardwalk system as a unique product that can be used to preserve these sensitive tree roots. “This provided another solution to our problem…it’s just another tool in the toolbox to get around difficult areas,” he said.
Installing PermaTrak’s low impact pier foundations and extended beams, “LTS Construction did a good job with installation, avoided any damage to the tree roots and accomplished the goal of the project,” he added. Together, the City of Charleston and Charleston County’s decision preserved these live oak trees for future generations to enjoy.
Watch the 2-minute video showing how LTS Construction handled these concrete treads manually in order to speed up the boardwalk construction process.
