Five Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology senior civil engineering students have provided Wabash River Development and Beautification Inc. and Vigo County residents with a big dream for Terre Haute's future: A pedestrian bridge across the Wabash River that could become the signature gateway for the region.

Bridge Concept: The pedestrian bridge design offered by five Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology senior civil engineering students would have a pedestrian bridge of double thrust arch design that would be 130 feet tall and 630 feet long. The east bank location would be near Terre Haute's Fairbanks Park.

The project was completed as part of the Department of Civil Engineering's senior design course, and presented to community leaders and local citizens at a series of meetings during May.

Team members Jason Bednarko, Devin Cook, Dustin Dvorak, Joshua Heigert and Adam Knaack evaluated potential crossing sites, formulated hydraulic and foundation design studies, designed the unique structure and developed a phased construction implementation plan for the project. The team's faculty mentor was James Hanson, assistant professor of civil engineering.

"This was an impressive, professional-quality engineering study that will provoke further discussions about the future development of Terre Haute's riverfront, and provides officials with ideas to seek state and federal grants for the project," said Pat Martin, a transportation specialist for the City of Terre Haute's Engineering Department. "The students exceeded my expectations. This was an ambitious project, with many different aspects. I would have been delighted for them to have completed one or two aspects in the planning stages. Instead, the students completed the entire project."

The team's bridge will allow the National Road Heritage Trail to be extended to the Illinois state border, and will enhance the development of two miles of recreational wetlands on the west bank of the Wabash River, which was planned last year by another Rose-Hulman civil engineering team.

Seeking Community Feedback: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology senior civil engineering students Dustin Dvorak, Devin Cook, Adam Knaack, Joshua Heigert and Jason Bednarko presented their pedestrian bridge concept to a community forum organized by Wabash River Development and Beautification Inc.

Originally working with four bridge options, the students developed their own signature structure that has a double thrust arch, is 130 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 630 feet long.

"This was the design option that we felt would shoot for the stars for Terre Haute," Cook told a crowd of Vigo County officials attending a recent project presentation. "This was the design that we thought would be a landmark structure, which we thought the city would like."

Heigert said the hardest part was coming up with the design because "it was a big project and we hadn't been through something that extensive before."

The team's design met with delight from local residents.

"Paris has got the Eiffel Tower, St. Louis has got the arch . . . This could be the signature (landmark) piece for Terre Haute," said John Mutchner, president of the Wabash River Development and Beatification, Inc.

Terre Haute City Councilman Todd Nation told The Terre Haute Tribune-Star, "The idea of making a safe way for pedestrians, cyclists and people to get across the Wabash River is a big step forward for us. I wish we were building it and not just talking about designing it."

Wabash River Development and Beautification, Inc. will utilize the Rose-Hulman team's plan to seek financial support for the project. Then, a professional engineering company will finalize the design, cost estimates and construction plans for the bridge.

Other projects completed by senior civil engineering project teams during the 2006-07 academic year included:

* The department's second international project featured the development of an agricultural training facility for Ghana's Obodan Sustainable Development Center. The facility will consist of a computer training center, conference hall, caretaker house, hostel, poultry building, office space and executive chalets. The project was developed by Joel Anderson, Yaw Aning, Matthew Childs, Richard Franko and Kristin Miller. The faculty mentor was John Aidoo, assistant professor of civil engineering.

* A team developed a plan to make snow and ice removal at the Indianapolis Airport more environmentally friendly, through a Federal Aviation Administration design competition. Key tasks included identifying alternatives that meet stringent Environmental Protection Agency and aircraft manufacturer requirements. Team members included Christopher Armstrong, Mark Johanning, William Kenny, Roy McIlwaine and Robert Wilson. Michael Robinson, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, was the faculty mentor.

* A dam breach analysis was conducted by Richard Ballard, Adam Hacker, Christopher Jester, Daniel Lexsa and Matthew Mead for two dams in the Yellowwood State Forest in Brown County, Indiana. The project included mapping the project area, a slope stability and breach analysis, conducting a hydrological study and recommendations for any remedial action.

* A wastewater management system was designed for the Town of Merom, Ind., to meet Indiana Department of Environmental Management guidelines. The team met several times with local officials and residents, and worked with a professional engineer to complete project plans. Students working on the project included Brian Bibb, Derek Davidson, Matthew Hurst, Daniel Lindley and James Reece. Robinson was the faculty mentor.

* A team paralleled the process followed by Hunt Construction on planning excavation for a new social sciences building on the Yale University campus in New Haven, Conn. The students prepared a bid for the site utility relocation and excavation package, and the foundations package. Team members were Robert Baldwin, Erin Craft, James Murray, Brad Otto and Jacob Wagle. The faculty mentor was Kevin Sutterer, associate professor of civil engineering.

Projects were also completed for the Bloomington Metropolitan Planning Organization, Paragon Construction and Trigent Development.