Daily Pioneer News

UWP senior design students (from left to right) Kyle Hemp, Ryan Horst and Robert Vyvyan are helping revamp Second Street in Platteville.

PLATTEVILLE - New residential subdivisions, increased traffic and poor driving conditions are only a few of the concerns that Platteville town chairman Bob Digman and city of Platteville director of Public Works Howard Crowfoot must consider along Second Street. Since the road's original design and construction, various safety concerns have been acknowledged. Helping resolve these predicaments are University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior design students Kyle Hemp, Ryan Horst and Robert Vyvyan. The students were contacted by Digman to conduct a traffic study on a section of Second Street between the Platteville city limits and Walnut Dell. "This section of road is approximately one mile in length and has many problems including incredibly steep grades, no shoulder, narrow lanes, poor stopping sight distance and a speed limit that is too high," said Vyvyan.

The traffic study data revealed over 1,100 vehicles traverse the road in one day. This information along with other statistics will be used to determine road requirements based on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Facilities Development Manual (FDM). After surveying the area with GPS equipment, the road conditions will be compared to FDM standards for a road with previously determined traffic volumes.

From these comparisons, the students will be able to identify deficiencies and recommend possible solutions to fix them. They will also design a vertical alignment for the roadway with new grades and vertical curve lengths to meet FDM design standards. The final recommendation by the students is to completely reconstruct the area; knocking the hills down and using fill to make a desirable grade that meets standards for a 35 mph traffic zone. Commented Hemp, "We want to increase safety along the roadway by adding pavement markings, shoulders and possibly guardrails."

Throughout the project, students have turned to civil engineering professors, Sam Owusu-Ababio and Thomas Nelson to lead them in the right direction, answer questions, and challenge them with different ways of thinking. Owusu-Ababio also helped students with the land development desktop software they needed to use with their GPS surveying data to develop the road alignment.

The students also received a great deal of help from Delta Three Engineering of Platteville. "Not only did they donate their equipment for us to use, they donated their time to teach us how to use the equipment and helped us survey the steeper sections," said Horst. "This was an interesting project. We had to work with state DOT standards and a variety of agencies on different levels. Coordinating things was difficult but working with our clients to see what they wanted and how we could help them get that in the final scope was a great learning experience," added Hemp.

Vyvyan is a civil engineering major. He is the son of John and Naomi Vyvyan of Union Grove. Horst is a civil engineering major. He is the son of Bruce and Laurie Horst of Hartford. Hemp is a civil engineering major with emphases in transportation and construction. He is the son of Melvin and Cynthia Hemp of Lodi. The students anticipate graduating in December 2005.

Contact: Bob Schmitt, civil engineering, (608) 342-1239,schmitro@uwplatt.edu

Prepared by: Rachael Lehr, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,lehrr@uwplatt.edu