Student Members: Patricia Notti, Hailey Swirbul, Jhon Landicho, Ethan Hunstinger, Caleb Shoulders
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Scott Hamel, Dr. Joey Yang
Project Mentor: Rys Miranda, PE
Description:
Potter Marsh, part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, provides valuable freshwater wetland habitat for a wide range of wildlife including waterfowl, moose, brown and black bears, several furbearers, five species of Pacific salmon, and others. The marsh is Anchorage’s most popular and accessible wildlife viewing sites and provides opportunities for several hundred thousand residents and visitors each year who access the marsh from the Seward Highway and several elevated pile-supported boardwalks.
The original Potter Marsh boardwalk paralleling the Seward Highway was constructed in the mid-1980’s and has surpassed its serviceable lifespan. Current problems include rotting decking, shifting joists, loose railings, and other problems with the aging structure. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is interested in rebuilding and updating the approximately 1,500-footlong boardwalk and making it compliant with Americans with Disability Act standards, which is lacking in the existing design.
This project will produce a 25% design that includes the following elements for a replacement boardwalk: 1) structural design, 2) foundation design, 3) hydrology and hydraulics analysis, 4) constructability analysis, and 5) permitting considerations.
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