crossroads final report with appendix pdf

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CIVE 4750 Civil Engineering Capstone ProjectFall 2007

Crossroads of America

Draft Final Report

Submitted to: Poggemeyer Design Group

Submitted by: Seth ColesDaniel HirzelJoseph KolehmainenScott LabAngela MoffitScott Overmier

Joseph SappDereck SmithNicholas WestphalMicki Younglas

Advisors: Dr. Douglas Nims, PEDr. Cyndee Gruden, PE

Consulting Dave Saneholtz, PEMentor: Poggemeyer Design Group


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Cive 4750 Crossroads of America i

Disclaimer

This report is student work. The contents of this report reflect the views of the studentswho are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The

contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Toledo or PoggemeyerDesign Group. The recommendations, drawings and specifications in this report shouldnot be used without consulting a professional engineer.


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Cive 4750 Crossroads of America ii

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, we would like to thank everyone involved in helping us complete thisproject.

We would like to thank to the following people:

David E. Saneholtz, P.E Poggemeyer Design Group

Barry K. Rigby Rudolph Libbe Properties

Brian W. McMahon Danberry National LTD

Edward J. Ciecka City of Rossford

Grant Garn Perrysburg Township Zoning

Gregg J. Snyder Independent Investments INC

John G. Hrosko Perrysburg Township

John M. Skeldon Rudolph Libbe Properties

Kurt J. Miller (President) Miller Diversified, Inc

Richard Drouard City of Rossford Zoning

Tom Blaha Wood County Economic DevelopmentCommission

We would like to give a special thanks to our advisors:

Dr. Cyndee Gruden, PE University of Toledo, Department of CivilEngineering

Dr. Douglas Nims, PE University of Toledo, Department of CivilEngineering


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Cive 4750 Crossroads of America iv

Appendix I ........................................................................................................................ 62


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Cive 4750 Crossroads of America v

Executive Summary


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The University of ToledoDepartment of Civil EngineeringSenior Design

Executive SummaryCrossroads of America

Fall Semester 2007

Team Members:

Seth Coles

Daniel Hirzel

Joseph Kolehmainen

Scott Lab

Angela MoffitScott Overmier

Joseph Sapp

Dereck Smith

Nicholas Westphal

Micki Younglas

Faculty Mentors:

Douglas Nims Ph.D., PE

Associate Professor

[email protected]

Cyndee Gruden Ph.D., PE

Assistant Professor

[email protected]

Consulting Mentor:

David E. Saneholtz, P.E.

Principal Owner

Poggemeyer Design Group

Problem Statement:

The Crossroads of America is a highly anticipateddevelopment in a prime location near the intersection ofIR-75 and IR-80/90. Site owners are seeking distinctivefeatures for the site, which will also attempt to address theneeds of the surrounding community. The goal of this

project is to come up with ideas to bring both tourists andbusinesses to the area to foster economic growth. Thesolutions for this unique situation present a formidablechallenge.

Objectives:

The objectives are:

Develop solutions that attract tourists andbusinesses to the site.

Provide unique ideas for site development. Investigate drainage issues. Consider transportation issues. Provide plans and cost estimates for all proposed

solutions.

Solution Approach:

Combine student ideas with those of the landowners toprovide a reasonable solution for the problem. The solution

will be achieved by combining general issues such astransportation and drainage with unique topics such as anoverall theme for the area.


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Constraints:

Constraints include:

The proposed developmental plans forthe site.

Existing businesses and attractionssurrounding the site. Feedback from the owners to guide

the project.

Budget for the project. Different regulations that must be

met.

The surrounding area consists of flatterrain, which promotes poordrainage.

The Senior Design Group presents the

final project on December 6, 2007. Project has a budget of 1500 man-

hours.

Considerations:

Economic Impact Drainage & Storm-water Detention

o Detailed Calculationso Canal Feasibility

Themeso Select preferred theme

Roadways & Traffico Cost Analysiso Preliminary Layout

Alternative Transportationo Streetcarso Bike Path

Cost Analysis Preliminary Layout

Conclusions and Deliverables:

Drainage & Storm-water Detentiono Canal was not feasible due to

cost

o Best alternative was series ofmultiple detention facilitiesand vegetative swales

o Water features such as shape,plant life, and aeration toolshelp make storm-waterfacilities aestheticallypleasing.

Themeso Themes such as the Mini-

America theme help unify the

site. Roadways and Traffic

o Flexible pavement wasdetermined as best pavementtype.

o Aspects such as Pavementtexturing and decorative signsand lighting make siteaesthetically pleasing.

Alternative Transportationo Streetcars are unfeasible due

to their high cost.o Bike Paths best alternative for

Crossroads. Cheap Construction Local Recreation Funding available


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Cive 4750 Crossroads of America 1

Problem Statement

The Crossroads of America is a highly anticipated development in a prime location near

the intersection of IR-75 and IR-80/90. Site owners are seeking distinctive features forthe site, which will also attempt to address the needs of the surrounding community. The

goal of this project is to come up with aesthetics and infrastructure to bring both tourists

and businesses to the area to foster economic growth. The solutions for this unique

situation present a formidable challenge.

Throughout this document, different solution alternatives are analyzed and the criteria

used for choosing the best alternatives are described in detail. Criteria and constraints

used for selecting solutions include: existing businesses and attractions surrounding the

site, feedback from the owners, relative costs, regulations, time restrictions, and current

site conditions. Several areas of concern were investigated in this project. These include

economic impacts, general themes, storm-water issues, roadway design and layout, and

alternative forms of transportation.

Bass Pro Shops anticipates 6 million visitors per year which will provide a large

economic impact on the Greater Toledo Area. Bass Pro Shops will also attract future

businesses which will bring numerous jobs and consumers to the Crossroads of America.

These influences will greatly benefit the economics of the region.

A theme is pertinent to unify any successful development, and is essential for the

Crossroads of America. A properly implemented theme can associate the area to potential

businesses and customers, establishing a good market base. An example of a theme is

provided later in the report.

One important design aspect of any proposed site development is drainage. It is important

to consider how new developments will affect the drainage and be able to handle

additional storm flows. Aesthetically pleasing and efficient options can be incorporated in

drainage options


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With the construction of Bass Pro Shops and additional businesses, new infrastructure

will be necessary. These roads need to be able to handle projected traffic flows.

Consequently, we prepared and analyzed preliminary design alternatives of the pavement.

Research of roadways and pedestrian walkways was done in an attempt to make them

aesthetically pleasing in order to integrate them into a common thematic scheme.

The final consideration for the site was to find a unique form of onsite transportation to

allow pedestrians to flow efficiently. Different alternatives and their feasibility were

considered in our efforts to find a pronounced design. The corresponding results are

discussed further in the document.

This document is organized into sections that focus on general issues such as economics,

creative ideas, site drainage, and transportation; each has a significant effect on the

Crossroads of America site and/or the surrounding areas.


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Overall Site Plan


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Economics

Economic Impact

The Crossroads of America is adjacent to some of the most traveled highways in the

United States and is easily reached due to its prime location. This in combination with the

economic figures from the surrounding areas is enough to lead anyone to believe this site

has overwhelming potential. The population of the Toledo Metropolitan Statistical Area

is 614,128, making it the fourth largest in Ohio.

It is located at the intersection on Interstate 75, which extends from northern Michigan to

Miami, Florida, and Interstate 80/90 which extends from New York City, to San

Francisco, California. Table 1.1 below shows driving distances and times for reaching the

Crossroads of America site from different locations:

Table 1.1:Highway Driving DistancesCity and State Miles Hours

Detroit, Michigan 59 1

Cleveland, Ohio 115 2

Cincinnati, Ohio 206 3.5Columbus, Ohio 148 2.5

Chicago, Illinois 249 4

As seen in Table 1.1, consumers from many miles away can easily access the site. This

alone sets the site apart from most other sites. As the radius band extends, over 18 million

consumers will be within a 150 mile drive from the site. Table 1.2 gives 150 mile radius

demographics for 1994 as well as projected demographics for 1999:


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Table 1.2:Demographics

150 Mile Radius 1994 1999

Population 18,156,009 18,660,150

Households 6,756,421 6,945,457

Per Capita Income $15,745 $15,667Median Household Income $33,886 $33,772

Average Household Income $41,884 $41,704Source: CACI

The economic impact of Bass Pro Shops on the Crossroads of American site will

undoubtedly be enormous for the City of Rossford and surrounding areas. Bass Pro Shops

has researched, but is unable to release any information on the future impact of the

region. However, from news releases and through comparisons of similar Bass Pro Shops

developments, it can be safely assumed that this addition will greatly impact the

economics of the area in a positive way.

It is projected to cost approximately 50 million dollars to build the 150,000 square foot

Bass Pro Shops. The Crossroads of America has the potential to be Ohios largest retail

and tourist destination. It is expected that Bass Pro Shops will generate approximately 50

percent of their annual sales from areas more than 100 miles from Rossford which will

also give incentive to develop additional tourist facilities. Bass Pro Shops expects toemploy a minimum of 250 people from the surrounding area alone (Reindl, 2006). In

addition to the amount of people Bass Pro Shops plan to employ, other new businesses to

be constructed in the area will also bring in further employment.

Bass Pro Shops will create interest from individuals and the business community; it will

also enhance the image of the surrounding area both locally and nationally. Toledo is the

second largest port on the Great Lakes, which will definitely be a great benefit to Bass

Pro Shops as well as Toledo boaters. In fact, boating on Lake Erie is one of the areas

most popular recreational activities. Motorboats are the most popular for fishing, but

there are a few yacht clubs as well. Bass Pro Shops will undoubtedly be a great economic

benefit to the area particularly due to the popularity of boating and fishing.


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Other benefits indirectly related to the construction of the Bass Pro Shops will occur from

this addition as well. As in similar situations with existing Bass Pro Shops, the large

amount of customers Bass Pro Shops attract will have other businesses such as; hotels,

food retailers, and specialty shops wanting to expand the area. As well as the additional

employment, the surrounding area will benefit from ongoing tax revenues that can be

used for numerous projects and activities.

Criteria and Constraints

Different alternative solutions were considered for the Crossroads of America site, and

the best solutions were determined from different criteria. The main criteria used for

selecting the best solutions were:

o Profitability ensuring the future development will profit and allow for

future growth

o Cost alternatives must be considered to minimize developmental cost

o Economic Impacts surrounding communities must benefit from the

developments

The main constraints for selecting the best solutions were:

o Area feasibility - the site is constricted to approximately 1200 acres and is

relatively flat

o EPA regulations specific regulations had to be met throughout the site to

satisfy the EPA

Solutions

Theme

It is desired for the Crossroads of America site to become the main tourist attraction in

Northwest Ohio. In order for this to occur, the site has to be developed distinctively. The

development must allow the site to draw both more businesses and visitors so it can


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become a tourist destination. Several developmental solutions were explored for this site

and are explained in the following sections of this report. These solutions include a site

theme, drainage, and transportation.

One way to draw all aspects of a site together is to have a unified theme. A theme not

only allows a development to have more attractive aesthetics, it can also attract more

visitors to the site. There are many different themes one could chose, but to expand on the

idea of a theme, the idea of Mini America will be expanded below.

Mini America

Throughout the Crossroads of America, there will be shops, restaurants, roads, and bike

paths. A strong, central theme will tie these attractions together. The theme idea that is

explained within is Mini America. Mini America is fitting for Crossroads of America

because it joins the northern, southern, eastern, and western parts of the United States. It

is grounds for all of the beloved sights of the United States of America. This theme will

allow both indoor and outdoor adventures for the visitors to the Crossroads of America to

enjoy. The layouts for Mini America can vary tremendously, but the idea chosen is that

of the actual layout as the United States.

Mini America, when viewed aerially, will resemble the real layout of the United States of

America. The outer border of the country will be represented by bike paths. The bike

paths would run around the border of the United States and through the site to allow easy

travel from one area to the next. A visitors map of Mini America can be seen in Figure

2.1.

The bike path system will separate the parking areas from the shops, restaurants and

adventures located within the site. To travel around within the site, one can take a trolley

to one of the regions, take the paddle boat, or walk. All these transit modes will be very

convenient for the visitor and will be discussed in further detail later.


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Figure2.1:MiniAmericaMap


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Mini America is divided into eight different regions, all of which will have many of the

aspects that remind one of different parts of the country. If one starts their adventure in

the Northeast, they can walk down IR-80 heading towards the Midwest. Here visitors can

dine at the nearest Chicago deep dish pizzeria or shop in the Sears Tower Mall. Once

they come out of the mall, they can take a photo with one of the cow statues that are so

familiar to Chicago. Speaking of cows, if our visitors take a short stroll down Route 66,

they can stop by Farm Country where they can watch a cow being milked, pet a goat at

the petting zoo, or buy fruits and vegetables at the local farmers market. Our visitors can

next cross Route 66 and stop by Amish Country where they can buy furniture and watch

it being made. Back on IR-80 one can walk through the hills of the Rockies and arrive in

the Northwest. While they are in the Northwest they can stop in Seattle and walk on the

Space Needle, they can ascend to the observation deck as they can see Mini America

from hundreds of feet above the ground.

From the Northwest, our visitors can continue along the path onto IR-15 where they can

walk along Alamo Square and stop in the Mom and Pop specialty stores that are within.

As they walk, they can see in the distance to the west the Golden Gate Bridge and China

Town. They can stop and eat fine Chinese cuisine or shop at the Chinese shops. As they

continue they can see something else in the distance, a large Hollywood sign. As they

walk to the sign they see a large cinema with todays and yesterdays greatest movies.

They can go to one end to see movies that just came out, or go to the other end of the

theater to see classics in an old fashion style movie theater. As they exit the movie theater

they see that they are on Hollywood Boulevard and on the Walk of Fame, they walk star

struck as they look for their favorite movie and actor. As our visitors continue traveling

along IR-15, they come to the Plains where they can see a field with people playing

frisbee and football as they watch others enjoy themselves with a picnic basket.

Visitors can then continue along IR-15 and arrive at the Wild West. Here visitors can

experience the old Wild West like never before. Old fashioned wooden buildings

complete with bars and the jail have visitors feeling like they have stepped back in time.

At the Western Bar, guests can relax having food and drinks. Outside cowboys are seen


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giving guests horse riding lessons and teaching them how to lasso. At certain times of the

day, rodeo events take place for the visitors enjoyment.

After enjoying the Wild West, our visitors continue on their journey to the South on I-40.

Upon crossing the Sunshine Bridge in lower Louisiana, visitors to the South can hear jazz

music. Following this jazz music, visitors find the band on stage performing different

types of jazz music and taking peoples requests, for yet another jazz song. Continuing

farther into Souths downtown, we find a Mardi Gras celebration in full swing. Here

visitors can experience this thrilling New Orleans event firsthand. Due to Mini Americas

colder climate, our visitors can next move inside to a greenhouse where they find a

beautiful arrangement of wildlife native to the warmer climates. Palm trees and banana

trees are a main attraction, as they are a new sight to many visitors.

Continuing around Mini America, the visitors take Atlantic Coast to travel between the

South and the Northeast. Our visitors have returned to the region they had started, the

Northeast. Greeting visitors to this portion of Mini America is the White House Hotel.

One can then walk through the American Monumental Park. Here one can find replicas

of the most well known monuments in America, including The Statue of Liberty,

Washington Monument, The Jefferson Memorial, and The Lincoln Memorial. After

viewing the memorials of what has helped shape and brought freedom to this country, the

visitors find themselves in downtown Northeast. Here, the Chrysler Empire State Mall

features modern shops, upscale restaurants, and hotels accommodating all of the visitors

needs. Here visitors can order New York style pizza and eat their food by the Great Lake.

Walking toward the lake, one can see the fishermans piers of the Northeast. Here the

visitors can take lessons on how to fish off the docks. Children also can feed the ducks in

the lake as they swim past the boats in the harbor.

This concludes the visitors expedition through Mini America; however the journey is far

from finished. The large number of attractions makes it hard to do each justice in a single

day. Therefore, the visitors can pick up where they left off on a future visit through Mini

America.


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Theme Conclusion

The Crossroads of America site will be developed into a major tourist attraction. To draw

more businesses and visitors to the site, a centralized theme must be incorporated. The

Mini America theme provides the unifying force the site requires to become a tourist

attraction.

Storm-Water Runoff

The site layout is relatively flat, resulting in standing water that becomes stagnant. The

water stagnation is due to the native soil type found in the region, namely hoytville.Hoytville soil is classified as very poor draining, as it is composted primarily of silty

clay. This soil runs very deep and makes up sixty percent of the soil in Wood County.

This needs to be addressed because standing water can promote odors and mosquito

growth which becomes a nuisance to visitors on site. One of the primary concerns for

developing a site of such immense size is the overall environmental impact of the area.

Through site development, large sites tend to produce a great deal of storm-water runoff.

With the addition of Bass Pro Shops and potential growth of new development, issues

will arise in how storm-water is to be handled. The addition of impermeable surfaces,

such as rooftops, parking lots, and buildings, would certainly provide more runoff than

adjacent watersheds could handle. With excessive flow rates, there is a concern that

erosion could cause a great deal of damage to the existing ecosystem downstream. This

increase in flow will not only affect the local area, but would also impact plants and

wildlife downstream as it flows into Lake Erie. As with many commercial developments,

neatly manicured lawns and landscaping will be typical throughout the site. With the

addition of this beautiful landscaping comes the use of fertilizers and pesticides, which

eventually seep into the drainage network. These excess nutrients can promote unwanted

algae growth which can ultimately harm many organisms in Lake Erie and endanger its

ecosystem. In order to keep a balance in the adjacent watersheds, storm-water

management and discharge is a primary concern.


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The existing site discharges the runoff to Grassy Creek to the north adjacent to I-75. The

remaining majority of runoff makes its way into Dry Creek which passes directly through

the site north of Diemling Rd. running east to west. Currently, there is not a very large

volume of water discharged into the two creeks, even during heavy rainfall, due to the

relatively flat surface and thick vegetation on site. Also, the water that does make it into

the creeks is relatively clean due to its passage through vegetated land which acts as a

natural filter for the water. As an industry standard, typically developers are not allowed

to discharge a water volume any greater than the undisturbed soil. In order to meet this

standard, any storm-water above the volume discharged by the undisturbed land will be

detained on site. A complete site investigation regarding the existing storm-water runoff

can be found below.

Design Constraints

In order to truly address the problem it is first necessary to identify any and all constraints

which will be used to help develop a functional solution to the storm-water issue

Money

EPA Regulations

Environmental Impact

Aesthetics

The Crossroads of America group of developers have a limited source of funding

available for developing the site. Therefore, big ideas with higher costs associated with

them will require careful consideration due to the fiscal support required for such a

project. The developed site will have a lot of impermeable surfaces such as asphalt

pavement, concrete walkways, and roof tops. Due to this, the storm-water runoff may

have oils, dirt, and debris that will need to be addressed in order to prevent contamination

of the local watersheds. Developing a new site requires one to meet strict stipulations

regarding environmental impact. This water will have to be detained and released at a

lower flow rate in order to alleviate the burden on adjacent watersheds. Storm-water

detention requirements may be achieved by on-site ponds or canals. Aesthetics also play

a major role in commercial developments as an element to attract visitors to the site. Not


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only do sites have to be functional, but also pleasing to the eye. Detention ponds and

canals can not be used simply as storage basins, but should be incorporated into the

landscape as an attraction.

Another primary constraint for this project is the marketability of the real estate to

retailers and businesses. In order to draw them to the Crossroads site, there has to be a

compelling reason. For this site, the ease of access is obviously a great advantage but that

can only go so far. This being said, one of the objectives for the storm-water team is to

provide a design which is also attractive to potential businesses. People have been

fascinated with water for a long time. Water parks draw people from distant locations in

the summer months. Oceans, lakes, pools, and ponds are regularly used for recreation and

attractions in many vacation destinations around the world. Water is a relatively

inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing asset which should be used to the developers

advantage to draw people to the site.

Design Alternatives

A great deal of the storm-water discharge will need to be detained on site due to the new

developments. An increasingly popular and commonly used solution to storm-water run

off is solved by utilizing a detention pond. The main purpose of a detention pond is to

hold runoff from the surrounding landscape of lawns, roads/parking lots, and rooftops.

The storm-water is held in the basin and slowly released to a nearby body of water (Dry

Creek). Storm-water detention basins reduce how fast runoff enters our natural

waterways. This protects areas downstream from flooding and erosion. Most detention

ponds also function to trap pollutants in runoff such as nutrients, metals, and sediments

and treat them through biological processes. Detention facilities are also required to

satisfy local government regulations for storm-water detention in new developments.

They also alleviate many difficulties associated with permitting. There are many different

design alternatives and arrangements for detention facilities the Crossroads site can

utilize. The main variables for the design are geometric shape and location with


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consideration of the corresponding advantages and disadvantages associated with them.

These types of detention facilities will be discussed in further detail below.

Single Detention Facility

One design alternative for the area is the construction of a large, single detention pond,

designed to accommodate the storm-water runoff for the entire site. This approach could

be effectively utilized if an isolated area of land was to be developed with no nearby

additional runoff ties. With this design a larger pond will be able to provide sufficient

drainage for a larger developed area. A disadvantage with a large detention pond is an

increase in wildlife activity with the increase in pond size. Certain unsightly wildlife,

such as Canadian geese are more likely to be attracted to a larger body of water. In

addition, it may be costly to run the storm-water piping from the entire site to a single

pond. If the pond is designed to handle runoff from developed components at a

substantial distance away, the costs associated to run the piping needed to direct the

storm-water may be due to the larger diameter pipe and the distance of the run. Also, if

the drainage tile were to pass under roadways this could prove to be quite expensive.

With this type of design, there will be an increase in consumption of valuable commercial

space from a localized viewpoint. With the entire detention area consolidated, it is more

difficult to effectively use surrounding space without differentiation. Also, with an entire

detention area, it is commonly more difficult to make it aesthetically pleasing, dealing

with a larger water area and relatively less decorative detail.


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Figure 3.1: Single Detention Facility

With the construction of a single detention facility within the site storm-water detention

can be isolated to one single location. One of the major concerns with a single large

detention area is designating a specific area for the location. With the Crossroads site

ownership divided amongst several developers it would be extremely difficult for a

developer to designate valuable real estate as a detention facility. However, by

designating a single detention facility it is possible to select a location which wouldnt be

in close proximity to retail space eliminating aesthetic concerns for an unsightly pond.

An excellent way to make a large body of water more attractive is to stock the pond withnative fish species and open the pond up to the public for seasonal fishing. The idea of

providing a fishing location would fit directly with the theme that Bass Pro has already

brought to the site. One of the disadvantages to this would be the possibility of

contaminants and pollutants entering the pond during heavy rainfall events. With the

possibility of pollutants entering the pond it may be necessary to provide adequate

aeration using water fountains, which would provide an aesthetic improvement to the site.

However if high volumes of pollutants are projected some form of treatment may be

necessary in order to allow aquatic life.

Another consideration for this form of facility is the overall size of the pipe passing water

into the detention facility. If all 6 areas are to drain into a single pond the entire volume


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of storm-water would need to pass through a series of two or three inlet pipes to minimize

the number of roadway passages.

If a single detention facility is to be constructed it would be necessary to pass drainage

tile beneath existing and new roadways. By passing under existing roadways it would

either be necessary to tear out a part of the roadway to place the pipe or use a form of

directional bore to pass the pipe under the roadway. For the pipe runs passing closest to

the detention facility the overall pipe size would be quite large making cost a barrier for

this option.

Multiple Detention Facilities

Another design alternative is to construct several smaller detention ponds in quadrants

around the area. The degree of benefit of such an arrangement entirely depends on the

planned development layout. If the overall development is spread out, it may be more

efficient to construct individual detention ponds to accommodate separate drainage areas.

This design alternative may reduce the costs associated with piping due to a smaller

volume of runoff requiring smaller pipes of smaller diameter. By dividing the drainage

area into sections, the required piping distance can be minimized, also minimizing

roadway crossings. Smaller ponds are easier to incorporate into an integrated commercial

setting by spreading them out, in effect taking up much less valuable retail space

compared to a larger pond. With a smaller detention pond, it is also more manageable to

incorporate aesthetically pleasing features. With a detention pond closer to its

corresponding drainage area the critical path of water flow will be shorter, consequently

reducing the time to drainage relief. A photo of a smaller detention facility can be found

in Figure 3.2 below.


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Figure 3.2:Multiple Detention Facilities

Having multiple detention ponds instead of one large pond relieves the demand for a

large chunk of land. Also, running pipes throughout the site and under roads to one main

pond is eliminated. This reduces a lot of costs as well decreases the attraction to

unwanted animals. Multiple ponds will improve the aesthetics of each drainage area;

allowing the ability for retailers to build around each pond, giving a nice view for office

buildings, and alternative forms of transportation such as walkways and bike paths can be

incorporated.

Canal Network Detention

A more creative way to detain the storm-water on site could be to construct a network of

canals to detain storm-water. The canal idea has many advantages for The Crossroads of

America site. It can be used as an aesthetically pleasing drawing point for the site, storm-

water detention basin, and a form of alternative transportation. Canals have been very

successful in cities such as San Antonio, Texas and Cancun, Mexico. Canals have notreally been introduced in the northern climates due to the winter weather. With cold

climates boat travel would become impossible; however, a properly designed canal may

be used as an ice skating attraction.


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Figure 3.3: San Antonio Riverwalk

Different canal cross-sections can be used for different purposes. Large canal cross-

sections would allow larger boats traveling up and down the canal which would be more

suited for passenger travel. A smaller canal cross section would facilitate travel for

smaller boats such as kayaks, paddle boats, or canoes for leisurely travel. Multiple drop

points can be placed along the canal for people living in the area to bring their own boats

and use the canal when visiting the site. A drawback from the larger canal section is the

cost associated with passing under the existing roadways.

Throughout the research of the Crossroads site a great deal of consideration has been

spent on the canal theme. The goal of the canal network was to essentially take the

burden of the storm-water issue and turn it into an aesthetically pleasing water feature for

the site. Since the onset of the project we have looked closely at the San Antonio

Riverwalk on a comparative basis to essentially mimic that site on a smaller scale. Upon

further investigation, it appears this option is not financially feasible.

One of the primary issues that arose with the canal was the overall cost of the project. To

undertake a project of this size, it would be necessary to carry it to all sectors of the

Crossroads development making passage under roadways necessary. By passing under

the roadways, either a series of bridges or some form of culverts would be required

making the cost simply out of the reach for the developers. Wood County is also listed ashaving the largest concentration of bridges throughout Ohio. It had been brought to our

attention that Wood County officials would prefer avoiding any additional bridges on

county roads, due to maintenance costs.


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To lower the cost the design team made an attempt to scale back on the canal network

eliminating both the concrete element of the canal (which was comparative to the

Riverwalk) and passages under the roadway. By eliminating these costly elements of the

canal, the design team chose to research a simple clay lined trapezoidal channel that can

be evaluated using open channel flows. With implementing a clay lined channel a great

deal of concern had developed into the amount of erosion that would develop during

heavy rainfall events where the flow rate is substantially increased. The amount of silt

and sediment produced from the clay lining would essentially turn the canal into a silt

filled dirty channel.

One of the other concerns brought up by landowners who were working with the canal

design was a concern for consumers visiting the site. Consumers should be able to move

freely about the site without anything impeding their travel. By constructing a canal

network and having limited passages over the canal consumers would be confined to

certain areas which may deter them from visiting portions of the site.

The other concern for the canal network is the actual source of water. During an

extremely drought ridden season without any rainfall the canal could potentially dry up

deeming it useless as a form of transportation or require periodic filling from the local

water resource. In the event of a drought the overall cost of filling a canal of an estimated

volume of roughly 3 million gallons would be become quite costly, not to mention who

would be responsible to pay for it. The other paramount concern for the canals water

level is the shallow bedrock deposits throughout the site, referred to as Castalia-Milton

soil type. With shallow bedrock composed of limestone and dolostone throughout the

site, seepage of water from the canal could ultimately empty the canal before it even fills

up. These deposits are well drained and moderately deep, concentrated predominately on

the eastern side of the site.


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Existing Facilities

Through the project research we have also visited numerous sites around the area such as

the Shops at Fallen Timbers and Levis Commons. In our research of these sites we were

looking to see how similar developments around the greater Toledo area had addressed

the issue of storm-water runoff. During our visit to Fallen Timbers we had found that

throughout the parking lots there were numerous vegetated swales which channel the

contaminated storm-water over grassy surfaces in an attempt to minimize silt and

sediment reaching the drainage network. The EPA has recently been focusing on

addressing what they call the first flush. The first flush is the initial runoff coming from

impermeable surfaces which contain a majority of the pollutants. By addressing this

initial first flush and detaining this water and its pollutants it is possible to drastically cut

back on the amount of pollutions entering the drainage network

Figure 3.4: Vegetated Swale Examples in Parking Facilities

One of the primary advantages of implementing a vegetated swale similar to these is a

reduction of the overall storm-water silt and debris contained in the first flush. The

construction of a swale similar to these would also provide a surprising level of filtration

of the first flush. According to the EPA a correctly designed vegetated swale can achieve

a 25-50% reduction in particulates found in runoff.


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Runoff Calculations

The primary step for determining a runoff volume is to obtain a compounded runoff

coefficient for the site. In order to determine the runoff coefficient it is necessary to make

an assumption for how the site is to be developed in the future. In the case of the

Crossroads site, we have selected a conservative runoff value based on the approximate

values of rooftops, pavement, and vegetated land. The values of both the existing land

and proposed land are shown below.

In order to determine what size and type of detention facility is to be required it is first

necessary to calculate a runoff volume. The proposed site of the crossroads development

is partitioned into sections by numerous roadways on the site. Each partition needs to be

addressed separately, and an approximate acreage must be determined. The site acreage

and designation can be found below in Figure 3.1 and Table 3.1. From these, all six areas

have been broken down and approximated.


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Figure 3.5:Delineated areas

Once the runoff coefficient (C value) value has been determined it is then possible to

approximate the overall runoff from the site using both the site acreage and the C value.

The method for determine the runoff coefficient was done by making an assumption of

how the land is to be developed. In the case of the undisturbed land, a weighted C value

was calculated based on the fact the land has complete vegetation coverage and only a

small amount pavement throughout. In the case for the predicted C value for the future

development, another weighted C value was based on estimated rooftop, pavement, and

landscaping elements. An example of how we calculated the amount of water needed to

be detained in Area 1 can be found below in Table 3.1.


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Table 3.1:Amount of water to be detained for Area 1

Al lowable DischargeCalculations

Area: 170 Acres

TC: 60

c: 0.1I(5yr) 1.4

Q max: 23.8 cfs

Developed Conditions

Area: 170 Acres

C dev: 0.48

C*A: 81.6

Detention Calculations

Time

TC

Intensity

25 Year C dev x A

Qin

Q25

Qout =

Qallow

Qin -

Qout

(Qin-Qout) x

TC x 60

Detention

Volumeminutes in/hr acres cfs cfs cfs cf acre-feet

10 6.27 81.60 511.63 23.8 487.83 292,699 6.72

20 4.40 81.60 359.04 23.8 335.24 402,288 9.24

30 3.46 81.60 282.34 23.8 258.54 465,365 10.68

40 2.83 81.60 230.93 23.8 207.13 497,107 11.41

50 2.40 81.60 195.84 23.8 172.04 516,120 11.85

60 2.05 81.60 167.28 23.8 143.48 516,528 11.86

70 1.80 81.60 146.88 23.8 123.08 516,936 11.87

80 1.65 81.60 134.64 23.8 110.84 532,032 12.21

90 1.50 81.60 122.40 23.8 98.60 532,440 12.22

100 1.40 81.60 114.24 23.8 90.44 542,640 12.46

110 1.33 81.60 108.53 23.8 84.73 559,205 12.84

120 1.23 81.60 100.37 23.8 76.57 551,290 12.66

130 1.20 81.60 97.92 23.8 74.12 578,136 13.27

140 1.15 81.60 93.84 23.8 70.04 588,336 13.51

150 1.10 81.60 89.76 23.8 65.96 593,640 13.63

160 1.05 81.60 85.68 23.8 61.88 594,048 13.64

170 1.00 81.60 81.60 23.8 57.80 589,560 13.53

180 0.95 81.60 77.52 23.8 53.72 580,176 13.32

Max Required Storage = 594,048 13.64

cf acre-feet


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Aesthetics

In addition to the overall design of the detention facilities, it is also necessary to take into

consideration the aesthetics of the facility itself. Commercial retail and business space

has become extremely competitive in an attempt to draw consumers to their site rather

than have them going to the competition down the road. Therefore, it is necessary to

integrate these wet ponds or canals into the landscaping improving the site appeal as a

whole.

Shape

One way to improve the look of these detention facilities is to consider the overall shape

of the ponds themselves. In an initial storm-water analysis conducted for the site a series

of multiple square detention facilities was designed. The design team felt that this design

would take away a natural look of these wet ponds that we feel is necessary for this

design. By introducing a pond design with a curved or lagoon shape, it is possible to

attain a more natural look to the pond giving the feel that it belongs to the site.

Plant Life

Another great way to improve the overall look of a detention facility is to implement

plant life native to the area. The idea of using native plant and animal species would

again fit directly to the outdoors theme that Bass Pro brings to the site. The advantage to

this area is that Northwest Ohio was formerly known as the Black Swamp. With this in

mind, there are numerous indigenous species which could be brought to a body of water

which would really add to the aesthetic value of a detention facility. By implementing

plant life such as water lilies, cattails, and other bog plants it would be possible to create

a really natural look to the pond, again, making it look like it has always been there.


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Figure3.6: Planted Pond Example

Aeration

Aeration is a necessary element for a detention facility in order to help promote some of

the biological processes which will help treat unwanted pollutants in the runoff from the

site. Also, by implementing some form of aeration devise it would be possible to reduce,

if not eliminate the chances of unwanted stagnation of the water and mosquito

population. Below in Figure 3.2 is a photograph of a pond without adequate aeration and

the water has become stagnant and clogged with algae.

Figure 3.2:Stagnant pond without aeration

Different water features such as fountains and small water falls would provide not only

aeration but also add aesthetic value to the facility. By implementing some form of water

feature it is possible to introduce a natural look to the detention facility at a minimal cost.


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Figure 3.3: Pond Fountain Example

Storm-Water Conclusion

In order to determine a best fit design for the Crossroads development is imperative that

all design constraints be considered before a selection can be made. A table (Table 3.2)

has been constructed below which displays how our decision is based.

Table 3.2:Design Constraints vs. Design Options

CostOperation &Maintenance

FeasibilityPollutionControl

Aest heti cs

Single DetentionFacility $$ $ - - Least Viable Option

Multiple DetentionFacilities

$ $$ + + + Acceptable Design

Option

+ Best Fit Design Opti

The conclusion has been made by the design team to construct a series of multiple

detention facilities. It has shown that a single detention facility would be significantly

more expensive than providing each zone with its own facility. When considering cost it

had shown the cost associated with running the piping for the single facility wassignificantly more than both the construction and maintenance costs for the multiple

facilities.

An estimation of the cost for designing, constructing, and permitting of the wet ponds is

shown below in Table 3.3. As seen from the table, the initial cost for the multiple


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detention ponds is approximately 160% more expensive. However this does not reflect

the cost for the single detention ponds piping underneath the roadways which will

increase the cost significantly.

Table 3.3:Single Detention Pond vs. Multiple

Summary - Multiple Ponds

HaulingExcavation $1,415,707

Piping $1,475,760

Const., Design,Perm. $2,686,588

Total $5,578,054

Summary - Single Pond

HaulingExcavation $1,415,707

Piping $1,475,760

Const., Design,Perm. $1,675,955

Total $4,567,422

In addition to the multiple detention facilities, the design team also recommends an

installation of vegetated swales in any areas throughout the site where runoff may containhigh quantities of dirt and debris. The design team also recommends that developers take

into considerations a number of the other aesthetic options available for the site. By

selecting a facility that best fits the site and provides aesthetic value for future businesses,

the detention facilities could potentially become an attraction for the site.

Roads and Traffic

Bass Pro Shops is a major outdoor retail store that is expected to attract more than

6,000,000 people per year. Poggemeyer conducted a traffic impact study for the Bass Pro

Shops area and this study predicted that Bass Pro Shops will draw about 30,000-40,000

visitors on a peak day, which means that there will be about 26,700 trips attracted to the

site for Bass Pro Shops alone, with others coming for other businesses. The 26,700


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vehicles includes trips to and from the site, so the actual number of vehicles is around

14,000. The average daily traffic (ADT) for Bass Pro Shops is 13,500. The site is

presently all farmland; therefore, the roads and the interchanges along IR 75 surrounding

the area do not have the capacity to handle the increased volume of visitors. Along with

Bass Pro Shops, many other commercial, residential, and industrial developments are

expected to occur. Each of these creates their own unique problems for the existing

roadways. Commercial developments tend to have peak traffic flows in the afternoon and

evening when all the stores are open, and workers are on their lunch breaks or getting off

work. Residential developments will have their peak traffic flows during the standard

rush hour times when the residents will be traveling to and from work. Industrial

developments get busy right before the business opens and right after the businesses

closes, but the main problem they create is the increased truck traffic. This can play a

major role from the type of pavement that needs to be utilized to the timing of the traffic

signals. The subsequent paragraphs detail the surrounding and internal roadways, the

pavement type, and an analysis of both flexible (asphalt) and rigid (concrete) types. A

layout of possible roadways is also given.

Surrounding Roadways

The Crossroads of America Development rests along four major roadways. They are IR-

75, IR-80/90, US-20/23, and SR-795, all of which are maintained by the Ohio

Department of Transportation (ODOT). The estimated ADT figures acquired from

ODOTs Technical Services webpage are listed in Table 4.1. These values will likely

increase with the development of restaurants, shops, and warehouses. ODOT has recently

increased the capacity of the intersections leading to the Crossroads of America

development from US-20/23 over the past five years and should meet future ADT values.

There are two lanes of traffic with turn lanes to off streets in each direction along the

roadway. SR-795 consists of two lanes in each direction with turn lanes as well. Each of

these roadways has exits from IR-75. IR-80/90, or the Ohio turnpike, has an exit from IR-

75 also, which is part of the SR-795 exit. This layout can be seen in Figures 4.1 and 4.2,

from the Ohio Department of Transportations Technical Services Web Page.


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Table 4.1:Average Daily Traffic Values

IntersectionPassenger and A

CommercialVehicles

B and CCommercial

Vehicles

TotalVehicles

IR-75 @ US-23 48,690 14,150 62,840

IR-75 @ US-20 48,410 14,000 62,410

IR-75 @ SR-795 39,580 12,370 51,950

IR-75 @ OhioTurnpike

48,930 18,070 67,000

IR-75 @ Buck Rd 52,210 18,270 70,480

US-20 @ IR-75 27,940 48,500 76,440

US-20 @ Simmons Rd 11,860 3,100 14,960

SR-795 @ IR-75 17,940 3,750 21,690

Internal Roadways

Presently, there are a few internal roads running through the development area. There are

three main roads running in the north-south direction. Simmons Road travels along the

western side of the development before turning to the east in the northern part of the

development and ending at Crossroads Parkway just south of SR-795. Crossroads

Parkway runs directly though the center of the development and connects US-20/23 to

SR-795. Lime City Road completes the eastern border. There are also three east-west

roadways. Deimling Road runs halfway between US-20/23 and SR-795. It connects

Simmons Road and Lime City Road with an intersection at Crossroads Parkway. Arena

Drive runs between SR-795 and Deimling Road and connects Crossroads Parkway with

Lime City Road. Compass Drive runs just to the north of US-20/23 and connects

Simmons Road with Crossroads Parkway. There are also a few smaller roads that connect

stores, but are not used for main travel. These roadway layouts can be seen in Figure 4.3.

Arena drive is being relocated for Bass Pro Shops and also changing its name to Bass Pro

Boulevard.


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Figure4.2:IR-75@SR-795,I

R-75@I

R-80/90

Figure4.1:IR-75@

US-20/23


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Figure4.3:CrossroadsofAmericaDevelopm

ent


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With the probable addition of smaller stores, restaurants, housing, and other businesses,

smaller roadways will have to be constructed. There are many items to consider when

designing the layout for these roads. The consideration of making all roads one way to

help the flow of traffic should be compared to two way traffic. One way roads can reduce

the amount of conflictions at intersections, but can also be more confusing to motorists.

Other items that need to be looked into are different pavement types, parking, medians

traffic control devices, and street lighting. These items are discussed in further detail in

the following sections.

Roadway Design Layout

Bass Pro Shops will bring in more traffic than currently travels through the area, and new

roads may be needed for access to future businesses. A traffic impact study done by

Poggemeyer suggests that the Average Daily Traffic (ADT) for the Bass Pro Shops site

will be about 13,500 vehicles. The study also assumes a growth of 2% per year. Table 4.2

below gives some of the assumptions used for the design of any additional roadways.

Table 4.2:AssumptionsADT (vehicles/day) 12,000

Percent of Truck Traffic 6Type of Roadway Urban Principle Arterial Roads

Percent Growth Per Year 2

Number of Years for Study 20

Number of Lanes 2

The ADT was assumed to be 12,000 vehicles per day which is lower than that of Bass

Pro Shops, but still high to allow for future development. The percent of truck traffic was

assumed to be 6% for deliveries to the different businesses. Which type of roadway the

new roads may be depends on the ratio of single unit trucks to semi-trucks. Ohio

Department of Transportation tables were used in the calculations in the appendix.


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There are two main types of pavement to consider, asphalt (flexible) and concrete (rigid).

The calculations for each are given in the appendix, but a few of the necessary values are

given in Table 4.3. E-18s stands for the equivalent number of 18,000 pound axles.

Table 4.3:Necessary Values*E-18s (per day) 280

Growth factor at 2% for 20 years 24.3

E-18s (20 years at 2% growth) 2,483,460

B:C (single unit to semi truck) 2:1

*E-18s = Equivalent number of 18,000 pound axles that will travel on the road

over 20 years.

The flexible pavement cross-section to handle 12,000 vehicles per day is shown in Figure

4.4, and the rigid pavement cross section to handle the same ADT is shown as well in

Figure 4.5.

Figure 4.4:Flexible pavement cross section


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Figure 4.5:Rigid pavement cross section

Dimensions for the flexible pavement and the type of material are given in Table 4.4, and

Table 4.5 gives dimensions for the rigid pavement and its type of material. The item

numbers in these tables reference ODOT construction and material specifications.

Table 4.4: Flexible Pavement Dimensions (Asphalt)Flexible Pavement Dimensions446 & 448 Type 1 Surface Course 1.5

446 Type 2 Intermediate Course 3301 Bituminous Aggregate Base 7

304 Aggregate Base 6

Pavement Width 12

Shoulder Width 2

Table 4.5:Rigid Pavement Dimensions (Concrete)Rigid Pavement DimensionsConcrete 9

304 Aggregate Base 6

Pavement Width 12

Shoulder Width 2

As previously stated there are two different pavement types that can be used, and their

comparisons are shown below in Table 4.6. Costs per mile are also given in this table to

better determine which pavement type would be best.


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Table 4.6:Cost Estimates

FlexiblePavement

CrossSectionalArea (ft2)

Length(ft)

TotalVolume

(yd3)

UnitCost(yd3)

Cost/mile

446 &448

Type ISurface

3.5 5280 684.44 106.93 $73,187.64

446 Type 2Intermediate

7 5280 1368.89 89.2 $122,104.89

301 Bit AggBase

16.33 5280 3193.42 86.84 $277,316.79

304Aggregate

Base14 5280 2737.78 33.77 $92,454.76

TotalCost

$565,064.07

RigidPavement

9 inWidth (ft)

Length(ft)

Area (yd2)UnitCost(yd2)

Cost/mile

Concrete 28 5280 16426.67 52.59 $863,878.40

BaseCross

SectionalArea (ft2)

Length(ft)

TotalVolumeper mile

(yd3)

UnitCost(yd3)

Cost/mile

304Aggregate

Base

14 5280 2737.78 33.77 $92,454.76

TotalCost $956,333.16

Based on the cost analysis, the flexible asphalt pavement should be chosen due to itslower cost.

Pavement Type

The two main types of pavement to consider are asphalt and concrete. Concrete is not a

practical solution since it is generally used for heavy traffic and costs more than asphalt.

Asphalt will most likely be the pavement of choice due to its durability and cost.


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Parking

With the increase in vehicular traffic traveling to the area to shop, adequate parking will

need to be installed. Through Poggemeyers Traffic Impact Study, it is predicted that on a

peak day about 14,000 vehicles will be traveling to the Bass Pro Shops site, which

means all of them will need parking. Bass Pro Shops has created a large parking lot that

should service all of their customers. The other business however will need to have

parking created. There are multiple ways to create parking, and all of them will need to

be considered. The two main parking ideas are on-street parking and off-street parking.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each alternative.

On-street parking is nice for customers, but is not capable of handling a large volume of

traffic. It allows the customers to be close to the shops that they want to go to, but there is

only so much roadway to allow parking. The parking design could be parallel or angled.

Angled parking allows for more on-street parking than parallel parking does. It also

requires a wider roadway, which subsequently costs more money. Other than the fact

roadways need to be wider for on street parking, more congestion will be created on the

road. With on-street parking there will be cars starting and stopping on the roads and

more people crossing the roads, which could result in more rear-end collisions.

Off-street parking relieves congestion from the roadways, but there are generally long

walks to get to the stores. Large parking lots can be aesthetically unpleasing, so

vegetation or some other pleasant visual feature should be added to make it look nicer to

the public. Off-street parking is more cost-efficient because more cars are able to be

parked in a smaller area than on-street parking. Off street parking can include either

surface parking, such as a parking lot, or a parking garage. Parking garages are expensive

and are most commonly used in areas with limited space. This is not the case at the

Crossroads of America as there is ample space to allow for parking lots.

The best option for parking would probably be best to utilize both on-street and off-street

parking. On-street parking could have meters to generate revenue and be used for short-


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term visitors, while the off-street parking could be used for the long-term visitors.

Parking is going to depend on the type of businesses in the area, so design details are

impossible at this time.

Median

There are many different types of medians to consider when creating a roadway. Medians

can offer a number of advantages to a roadway. The main advantage is the increased

safety. It stops vehicles from crossing the center line and hitting another vehicle head-on.

It also gives a place for pedestrians to rest when crossing the road; therefore, they only

have to worry about crossing half a road at a time. A median can also allow a roadway to

be more aesthetically pleasing if it is well maintained.

In order to create more pleasing median, flowers could be planted. This looks very

attractive to people, but requires valuable time and money to maintain the look. If

vegetation is desired, trees could be planted in squares cut out from the concrete. This

requires much less maintenance then flowers, although there is still some needed. If no

maintenance is preferred, then pavement texturing could be utilized to create a more

attractive site.

Pavement Texturing

There were two main types of pavement to consider, asphalt and concrete. Concrete was

not a practical solution since it is generally used for heavy traffic and costs more than

asphalt. Asphalt should be the pavement of choice due to its durability and cost. In order

to make the asphalt unique and more appealing, pavement texturing could be utilized.

According to Integrated Paving Concepts webpage, pavement texturing is a cost-effective

way to create many different patterns on a roadway. It can be designed to look like hand-

laid bricks, stones, or any other design imaginable. It is installed in three steps. First the

asphalt is heated, then the selected pattern is imprinted, and finally the top coating is


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applied. Examples of different pavement texturing designs can be seen below in Figure

4.6 and 4.7.

Figure 4.6:Examples of pavement texturing designs around the world

Figure 4.7:Before and after pictures of a roadway

Features

Pavement texturing is one of the most cost effective ways to create unique designs on

pavement surfaces. Although it does cost more then a standard asphalt surface, it is much

less then hand laying bricks, and has many advantages. Pavement texturing has a cost of

about four to seven dollars per square foot. However, the cost can vary greatly depending


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on the amount of preparation the surface needs, the size of the project, and the

complexity of the design being used. Once the pavement texturing has been applied, there

is little maintenance required, and little cost associated with it.

Pavement texturing does not have a fixed longevity. The amount of time it lasts depends

greatly on the amount of traffic passing over it, the amount of water that sits on it, and

whether or not vehicles are stopping and starting on it. Pavement texturing has been

successfully used on roadways that carry thousands of vehicles per day. It is unaffected

by salt being placed on it and unlike cement bricks pavement texturing is a continuous

level surface which will not allow snowplows to get caught on a brick. The continuous

surface also ensures weeds and other unwanted vegetation will not grow up in the

roadway. Another excellent feature allows the roadway to be cut open if repairs are

needed under it, then repaved and covered with the pavement texturing without any trace

of the cut. The restaurants at the docks in downtown Toledo and the side streets in

downtown Maumee have utilized different pavement texturing to beautify there

pavements.

Figure 4.8:Pavement Texturing at the Docks in Downtown Toledo


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Possible Design Ideas

There are many different designs that could be utilized in the development. Some

recommended ideas that can coincide with the Mini America theme are listed below.

In Hollywood, a walk of fame could be created and the stars could be sold

to people who would like their name on them in order offset the cost for

the project. Some examples are shown in Figure 4.8.

In the New England section cobblestone or brick could be used to create

an old New England feel. Brick could also be used in the Midwest since

there are numerous brick roads in the area. Typical examples of

cobblestone and brick are shown in Figure 4.9.

In the Great Plains and the Wild West, some type of dirt looking road may

want to be used. Although, that is not aesthetically pleasing, therefore

another option would be to use a type of unique design. Unique designs

could also be used in the South, Swamps and Northwest since there is not

any prominent look for those areas.

Figure 4.9:Hollywood pictures


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Figure 4.10:Cobblestone and brick pavement texturing

Recommendations

Pavement texturing is very quick and easy to install, resulting in very little disruption of

traffic. It can be placed over existing or new pavement surfaces. It can also be created

into any unique design that is desired. It does not have to be used over the entire roadway

though. It could be used for intersections, sidewalks, or crosswalks as well; whatever is

desired. An example of a crosswalk with pavement texturing can be seen in Figure 4.11.

Pavement texturing however cannot be applied by anyone. It has to be applied by an

authorized applicator. The estimated costs of applying pavement texturing to a surface

can be seen in Table 4.7.

Figure 4.11:Textured crosswalk

Table 4.7:Estimated costs

Type Length Width Cost/ft2 Total Cost

Roadway Mile 5280 30 $5.00 $792,000.00

Intersection 30 30 $5.00 $4,500.00

Crosswalk 30 5 $5.00 $750.00


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Since the cost of using pavement texturing over the entire roadway is so high, it may be

best to use it just at crosswalks, sidewalks, and intersections. The cost to do an

intersection using an average cost of five dollars per square foot is less then 5,000 dollars

which is reasonable for the unique look that will be created when using it. Parts of

sidewalks would also be worth doing since the width is not that great. The size of the

project will vary how much it will cost to do all of the pavement texturing; the larger the

project the less it will cost per square foot typically. Overall this should be used all

around to give a unique and welcoming look to the development for a cost that is not that

great.

Traffic Control Devices and Lighting

When installing traffic control devices, there needs to be uniformity with the devices. For

a more beautified area, decorative signal poles could be used with decorative signals. A

different color other than silver poles and yellow signals would create a more unique look

for drivers. There are three main options to consider when installing light poles.

Install standard poles provided by FirstEnergy.

Install decorative poles provided by FirstEnergy.

Install decorative poles purchased by the developer.

Poles that are provided by FirstEnergy are maintained by FirstEnergy. If standard poles

are chosen there is no additional installation cost, and no maintenance costs associated

with them. If decorative poles are chosen there will be a higher cost to purchase them, but

still no maintenance cost. Finally if decorative poles are purchased by the developer, the

purchase cost may be lower, but there are maintenance costs associated with them.

Decorative poles for street signs could be used as well. Pictures of decorative devices can

be seen in Figures 4.11 and 4.12 at the end of this section.


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In order for traffic to flow properly, studies need to be conducted to anticipate how many

cars will be traveling through the different parts of the development. This can be done by

looking at the existing traffic patterns and predicting what type of businesses are going to

be built in the development. All of the traffic signals should be coordinated with other

traffic signals in the area. This helps reduce many crashes by limiting the amount of stops

a vehicle will make while traveling through a series of signals. It will also reduce the

stress of the drivers because they will not have to continuously stop and start at all the

intersections.

Figure 4.12:Decorative signals and lighting images from www.roadway-

traffictechnology.com

Figure 4.13:Decorative sign images from www.thestreetscapecompany.com/posts.htm


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In conclusion, when deciding all the features that will invent the roadway, it is important

to create uniformity in all aspects. The roads, sidewalks, and everything along them need

to blend into the surroundings. The community does not want to look at large asphalt or

concrete areas, they want to see aesthetically pleasing views that draw them to the area,

not push them away. This can be done and can help create a thriving development at the

Crossroads of America.

Roadway Conclusion

Through comparing costs per mile of flexible and rigid pavements, choosing flexible

pavements for use of construction is the best way to proceed. Flexible pavement is very

durable, and should be used for the future development of roads throughout theCrossroads of America. Rigid pavement needs to be used when truck traffic is high,

however this will most likely not be the case on roads being built in the Crossroads of

America. A possible Road Layout can be seen in Figure 5.8, following the next section.

When deciding all the features that will distinguish the roadway, it is important to create

uniformity in all aspects. The roads, sidewalks, and everything along them need to blend

into the surroundings. People do not want to look at large asphalt or concrete areas, they

want to see aesthetically pleasing aspects of an integrated site. Through Pavement

texturing and decorative signs and posts this can be accomplished.

Al ternative Transportation

One of the issues considered for use on this project were unique forms of transportation

that could be used around the site. The goal for the site design is to make the Crossroads

of America a tourist destination that not only attracts people, but retains them once they

arrive. The purpose of these forms of transportation is to transport people around the

Crossroads site to and from Bass Pro Shops. Methods of transportation that were more

original than your typical shuttles and taxis were desired. In the following paragraphs, the

different alternatives will be discussed with pros and cons for each alternative. Alternate


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transportation throughout the site would alleviate normal traffic congestion from

vehicular travel.

There were many factors that were considered when attempting to choose an alternative

form of transportation. The biggest factor to consider in Northern Ohio is the weather.

The weather plays two important factors in this transportation system. The first

consideration is whether the transportation system is able to operate in the winter. An

example of this is obvious when you considered the canal system. The canal is going to

be frozen in the winter, and therefore the ferry system would not work this time of the

year. This was another one of the reasons that the canal idea was rejected. The second

consideration is the comfort of the passengers on the system. This plays a role both in the

heat of the summer and the cold of the winter. The ideal system would be able to keep the

passengers relatively comfortable while still being an effective mode of transportation.

Another important factor that was considered was the cost of constructing and

maintaining the different transportation alternatives. The cost was the biggest constraint

faced in this design, limiting the transportation possibilities to be used.

There were several different transportation alternatives evaluated for this project. Some

of the alternatives that were eliminated as possibilities were horse drawn carriages,

mopeds, and monorails. These options along with the major reasons for their elimination

will be described in the next few paragraphs.

The first idea was horse drawn carriages like those utilized on Mackinaw Island. This

idea was not chosen for two main reasons. The first of which is that unlike Mackinaw,

this site is going to be busy with vehicular traffic. Accidents will likely happen with the

combination of vehicular and animal traffic. The other reason is that horses have a

byproduct that would have to be dealt with. These two problems combined, make this

idea impractical.

Another idea was to have golf carts and mopeds on the site similar to that of Put-in-Bay.

The two main reasons that this was not chosen are pretty similar. One, it would not be


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safe to have golf carts and mopeds driving around areas where cars are driving and

people are walking. There will be a lot of liability associated with this solution. The

second reason is that there are going to have to be several rental places to make this

feasible.

The third idea considered was that of a monorail. Although a monorail is completely

feasible for use at this site, it was eliminated for one major reason. The one major

constraint that eliminated this from consideration is the price of the installing a monorail.

According to the website, www.monorails.org, the average price of a installing a

monorail is between 6 and 80 million dollars per mile (Monorail, 2007). While the

monorail for this project would be small and somewhat cheap to install because of

location, you would still be at a minimum $5 million per mile. This is above the amount

that is available to be spent on this project.

In addition to the three ideas listed above, there were two different alternatives that were

researched more in depth. These two alternatives were a streetcar or trolley system and

bike paths. A brief overview of the streetcar system is that it fits the Crossroads and

Mini-America themes discussed in this report, along with being a good all weather form

of transportation around the site. However, the streetcar system ended up being dismissed

as an alternative due to the high cost of construction. A brief overview of the bike path is

that a bike path serves several key purposes for this area. These purposes are it serves as a

walking corridor for people around the area, its as useful to tourists as it is to locals, it

easily integrates into the surrounding area, and best of all, it is cheaper to construct than

the other alternatives. In the following table, Table 5.1 a comparison of the streetcar

systems and bike path can be seen.


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Table 5.1: Comparison of Street Car and Bike PathFits into

general

theme

Mechanically

capable of year

round use

Comfortable

year round

use

Local

recreational

attraction

Cost

Effective

Street

CarX X X

Bike

PathX X X X

Based on the above table, it can be seen why the bike path alternative was chosen over a

streetcar system as the alternate transportation method of choice. Cost is the biggest

constraint affecting this project, and the streetcar is just too expensive. In the followingtwo sections of this report, you will find an in-depth look at these two alternatives.

Streetcar System

The streetcar system was the first form of alternate transportation that was studied in

detail. Streetcar systems consist of both cable cars and trolleys. These types of systems

are used in many large cities throughout the United States. There were several types of

streetcar systems researched for use in this project. The first kind was the traditional

vintage trolley system. The definition of this trolley system is a regularly-scheduled

public transportation, using genuine historic or replica electric railway cars. These types

of cars operate using electricity from overhead wires, and run on rails. Another type is the

flex-trolley system, which is a more modern system that consists of an aerodynamic car,

and rubber tires that run on the rails. Flex trolleys are more of a mass transit type system,

but could still be used on a smaller scale like the Crossroads of America. Another type of

trolley system is a modern trolley system. Modern trolley systems are much like the

vintage trolley system with a more modern look. The modern streetcar system is more of

a train than a trolley, but is still going to be classified in this section. The trains at the

Toledo Zoo and at Cedar point would be the best example of this idea. They are small


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trains that have passenger cars wide enough to hold at least two people. These systems

would run throughout the site, giving people easy access to all the main attractions.

There are many advantages to using streetcar systems. One advantage is that it is easy to

keep the passengers comfortable. The enclosed car can be heated or air-conditioned to

keep the passengers comfortable whether taking a short or long ride. Another advantage

is these cars can operate in any weather condition, making them as operable in the winter

as they are in the summer. The third advantage is that this form of system allows for an

efficient and timely form of transportation around the site. These are just a few of the

advantages to using a streetcar system. The two major disadvantages to using a streetcar

system are their cost to construct, and the rails and cables could cause problems with

aesthetics and roadways. An image of a traditional streetcar can be seen in Figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1:Street Trolley

For the purposes of this project, the best alternative would be the use of the vintage

trolley system. This type of system could easily be adapted to fit the small scale

requirements for this site. Another benefit to this would be to allow the transportation

system to be incorporated into one of the themes discussed earlier. This is possible

because the trolley could be designed to match the popular San Francisco trolley system


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and this would incorporate nicely into the Mini America theme. The major disadvantage

to the vintage trolley systems is the cost of purchasing and constructing the layout. Based

on information from railwaypreservation.com, the average double-truck car costs around

$870,000 and this does not include the cost of the railway and construction (Smatlak,

2002). Therefore, due to the major costs of implementing a streetcar system into the

Crossroads, this option is not feasible, and therefore was not researched into any further

detail.

Bike Trails

The other form of alternate transportation considered was to construct bike paths

throughout the site. Bike paths could serve several purposes for the site. One purpose is

that bike paths could be constructed in such a way to allow people to walk and bike as

shortcuts between the main attractions. The other purpose is that the bike path could be

used by local people as a place to exercise or just take a leisurely bike ride. This would

allow tourists an enjoyable form of transportation as well as giving the local community a

form of entertainment. The bike path could be accompanied by bike rental facilities to see

the sights and sounds of the Crossroads of America.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to the construction of a bike path. One

advantage is that a bike path would be relatively easy and cheap to construct. Another

advantage is that many family vacationers take bicycles along on their adventures. Bike

paths would allow for people to use their own bicycles as a safe and easy method of

transportation around the site. One of the disadvantages to a bike path is that it is more of

a summer form of transportation. Not many people are going to want to walk or bike in

the cold temperatures of winter. These are just a few of the many advantages and

disadvantages to a bike path. A picture of a typical bike path can be seen in Figure 5.2.


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Figure 5.2:Bike path

The bike path could be used to fit with the theme of the Mini America as well. The layout

of the paths could resemble that of the major roadways of the United States, and could be

named correspondingly. Another possible way to incorporate them into the overall Mini

America theme is bridges would be needed to safely get bikers and walkers over the busy

roadway. These bridges then could be designed to look like the Golden Gate Bridge, the

Mackinaw Bridge, or other famous bridges in the United States.

Upon further consideration, a bike path was chosen as a good addition to the Crossroads.

Based on researching the area and from meetings, it was determined that this area was an

ideal location for a bike path. A bike path at this location will serve several key purposes.

As mentioned above, it will serve as a form of recreation for local people, and itll act as

a way for people to travel around the s

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