WithersRavenel

Scope Of Work

The Town of Emerald Isle’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation Plan provides for six miles of multi-use trail along NC Highway 58 from Coast Guard Road to the Eastern Regional Beach Access. By 2006, the Town had completed the westernmost one-third of the trail component of the plan. The Town chose WithersRavenel to initiate designs and permitting for the remaining four-mile section, which extends from Black Skimmer Road to the Eastern Regional Beach Access.

The most challenging aspect of the design was accommodating the required geometric alignment standards and stormwater considerations in light of numerous site constraints. The available construction corridor was limited to the existing right-of-way along the south side of Emerald Drive. Because the right-of-way crosses 17 public streets and more than 40 driveways, the trail design had to conform to each of those fixed locations and elevations. At the same time, it had to avoid utility conflicts and observe topographic constraints and requirements regarding separation from the highway. WithersRavenel balanced these demands by performing detailed evaluations along each small section of the project.

WithersRavenel provided paving, grading, and erosion control design; stormwater management; encroachment agreements; and CAMA permitting. Stormwater is managed using LID techniques, including infiltration swales, natural areas, and sheet flow, to comply with Coastal Stormwater Rules. WithersRavenel coordinated the communication process among the Town, NCDOT, and NCDENR’s Division of Coastal Management, Division of Water Quality, and Division of Land Resources Land Quality Section.