Student Members: Jillian Holland, Bayley Chevaviiroj, Warren Garner, Charlene Pugay
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Joey Yang
Project Mentor: Rys Miranda, PE
Description:
Rabbit Valley Trailhead is located at the end of Canyon Road within the Hillside area of Anchorage. It serves as the access point for two major hiking trails: one leading up to the south side of Flattop and another to Rabbit Lake and the greater Turnagain Arm trail network. The project site is on the mountain side of Rabbit Valley where the cross-slopes are extremely steep. The mountainous terrain greatly limits development of roads and parking facilities. The existing roadway was improved in 2019, but it remains very narrow and drainage issues persist. Users park along the narrow road leaving very little room for two-way traffic and even less for pedestrian use. Parking spills out onto neighborhood roads during the busiest of times, which adversely affects the adjacent property owners. Sanitary facilities are inadequate. Information and messaging amenities are lacking. The road has shallow or absent ditches and water typically drains over the roadway. This access point is popular as an alternative to Glen Alps and is now in need of expansion and improvements to accommodate the current use. A preliminary evaluation of this trailhead was conducted by a previous Capstone group. Their final design can be found at: https://coeng.uaa.alaska.edu/innovation/?p=762
This project will develop 90 to 100 parking spaces for passenger vehicles to help meet demand; construct a vaulted toilet to enhance sanitation needs; install an orientation kiosk to improve site messaging; and place culverts to address drainage issues. Retaining walls will likely be necessary to control excavation limits.
This project will consist of the following disciplinary elements: site civil, structural design, geotechnical engineering, hydrology and hydraulics analysis, constructability analysis, and construction cost estimating.
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