Challenge
The Wolf Lake Trail in Hammond, Indiana is a 6-mile recreational multi-use path that links Lake Michigan to northwest Indiana’s inland bodies of water. The trail was missing a link between the North Trail and South Trail and needed an elevated crossing to loop over Wolf Lake.
As part of a $100 million redevelopment project funded by the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA), designers from SEH knew they needed to specify a durable material with a longer lifespan to withstand heavy use from thousands of pedestrians and cyclists each year.
Solution
SEH, assisted by PermaTrak’s engineers, designed a unique curved boardwalk that stretches roughly 1,050 linear feet across Wolf Lake. Elevated roughly 9 feet above the water, kayaks and canoes can easily pass underneath the boardwalk. James McHugh Construction installed PermaTrak’s precast concrete beams and concrete treads with a Sandblast texture finish.
The PermaTrak boardwalk material was the best option because it is “deterrent, won’t burn and can’t be easily taken apart,” says SEH engineer and project manager Dean Button. It also features “durability and resistance to vandalism.”
Button is pleased with the outcome of the project - including its integrated steel railing system. “To build something offsite, have holes pre-fabricated, bring it to the site and have it fit up the way it did was just amazing,” he adds.
Hammond Port Authority’s final greenway link creates a vibrant multi-use path for walkers, runners, and cyclists to use for decades to come.
On June 1, 2014, Leon’s Triathlon showcased hundreds of athletes using the concrete boardwalk at Wolf Lake Trail. Watch the 2-minute video to hear feedback from the triathletes, how they felt running across the concrete boardwalk.
