COLUMBUS, Ohio - The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Ohio recently selected three B&N projects to receive awards. The awards were presented at the Engineering Excellence Awards luncheon held on February 23, 2005. The Home Road Bridge in Delaware County, Ohio and the Muirfield Drive/Brand Road roundabout in Dublin, Ohio were awarded Outstanding Achievement Awards. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio received an Honor Award.

Home Road Bridge
Client: Delaware County Engineer
B&N Project Manager: Jeffrey Griffin, PE

B&N led design and construction services for the 1,145-foot, 7-span superstructure in Delaware County, Ohio. The bridge opened to traffic in November 2003 and replaces an historic 5-span steel truss structure built in the 1920s. The project features two 12-foot-wide lanes for cars and an 11-foot bikeway/walkway.

Because the estimated number of vehicles to cross the bridge each day (8,900) is expected to double by 2023, the bridge was designed for future expansion to a total of four traffic lanes.

The project also included 1,500 feet of new roadway construction, decorative lighting on the bridge and roadway approaches. The new bikeway/walkway connects the City of Columbus marina on the east side of O’Shaughnessy Reservoir with an existing Concord Township bikeway west of SR 745.

Muirfield/Brand Modern Roundabout
Client: City of Dublin, Ohio
B&N Project Manager: Jim Dippel, PE

The modern roundabout at Muirfield Drive and Brand Road in Dublin, Ohio was designed to increase safety and reduce congestion at this busy intersection. With safety a major concern for the City of Dublin and its 36,000 residents, the roundabout virtually eliminates right-angle collisions – which account for 75 percent of the accidents and 90 percent of the injury accidents at one of the City’s most dangerous intersections. The design reduces speeds to 25 miles per hour through the circle, while providing greater capacity than a signalized intersection. The roundabout pavement and approach legs were designed for expansion to handle increased traffic volumes in the future.

The roundabout is built around a 180-foot diameter circular island with a two-lane circulatory roadway. The Muirfield Drive approaches are two-lane and Brand Road approaches are single lane. The geometric design allows for future expansion with minimal reconstruction. Splitter islands and roadway curvature are used at all approaches to reduce speed, creating a safer condition for yielding traffic and pedestrian movement. Special signage is used to provide motorists with advanced information on lane usage when entering and exiting.

Construction of the roundabout, which began in June 2004, was completed on an accelerated schedule to open prior to the 2004 school year. The total cost of the project was $2 million including engineering, landscaping and street lighting.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum
Client: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
B&N Project Manager: Ken Sponaugle, PE

B&N, under contract with Blackburn Architects, provided the mechanical, electrical and civil engineering for this nationally acclaimed project located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The $50 million museum, which opened to the public on August 23, 2004, tells the story of the Underground Railroad used by slaves in the 1800s to obtain freedom.

Highlights of the work performed by B&N for the three-building complex include HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, power and systems design. The system designs were complex due to a number of challenges, including strict humidity and temperature requirements for the museum’s historical artifacts. The multiple-use complex – which includes learning centers, exhibit spaces, a theater, large gathering halls and dining areas – also required specialized lighting as well as security, PA, audio/visual and signage systems.