Daily Pioneer News

From left to right - Derek Potter, Ken Swanson, Karen Barnes and Nathan Kohnhorst take a break from designing their subdivision layout.

PLATTEVILLE - Four senior design students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville are utilizing their knowledge and skills in engineering to design a subdivision layout for the City of Platteville.

Each of the design team members will be graduating from UWP this May. Three of the team members will be earning a degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in transportation and construction engineering. These members include Karen Barnes, originally from Rhinelander; Derek Potter, originally from DeForest; and Ken Swanson, originally from Beloit. The fourth member of the team is Nathan Kohnhorst, originally from Merrill, earning a degree in environmental engineering.

The focus of the project is to design a 37-acre parcel of land, located west of the city limits of Platteville on Southwest Road, into a subdivision. In doing so, the team is responsible for designing the storm sewer and water maintenance, lot layout, road alignment and a cost feasibility study for extending utilities.

Throughout the project, the design team has worked with two clients from the City of Platteville. Joe Carroll, community planning and development director, and Howard Crofoot, director of public works, have each helped the team during the project by providing information and answering any of their questions.

The team commented how they have learned the importance of strong teamwork in completing a hands-on project such as designing a sub-division. The team also added that the combined experiences they have each had in different classes and work opportunities have helped them throughout the project.

"The combination of field and office experience that this project has offered us will help prepare us in future careers," remarked Swanson.

"The hands-on experience of the project has been very beneficial to each of us," Kohnhorst added.

Dr. Tom Nelson, associate professor in construction engineering, and Dr. Max Anderson, professor and chairman of the GEE department, have each aided and advised the design team throughout the course of the project.