Project Overview
Punta Gorda, Florida
The City of Punta Gorda selected Weiler Engineering Corporation (WEC) to design a 10-foot wide multi-use recreational trail along the existing Shreve Street. The trail is a two-way asphalt path, which allows for pedestrian and non-motorized recreational vehicle usage. Signage prohibits usage by unauthorized motorized vehicles, and the design includes dog waste disposal units, rest areas with benches, and trash and cigarette receptacles. The project was designed to conform to the American’s with Disabilities Act and the State Building Code.
WEC was able to conform to the city’s request that this project should maintain the current aesthetics of the area. The existing swale located parallel to Shreve Street required modification so that the proposed multi-use trail could be constructed at the same elevation and adjacent to the existing roadway. Preserving the conveyance capacity of the swale was a major requirement of the design.
The Multi-Use Recreational Trail has become a highly used safe travel route for non-motorized recreational traffic such as walkers, joggers, bicyclers and inline skaters. WEC was responsible for coordinating with government agencies during permitting and for providing construction phasing and schedule planning to limit potential impacts to the surrounding environment, for example the bald eagle nest and offspring, shown here on the left. WEC was successful in receiving a ERP exemption for pathways, which expedited the approval and reduced permitting time and costs for the City.
