The FDOT D4 selected WGI to provide survey, utilities, structural engineering, transportation, environmental, and design and permitting services to construct a new 8- to 12-foot typical Shared-Use Nonmotorized (SUN) Trail and pedestrian bridge overpass over the Florida East Coast Railroad in collaboration with collaboration with the City of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, and the County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). The project was identified as a component of the Florida Greenways and Trails System Priority Land Trail Network and national East Coast Greenway to provide a continuous trail for safe pedestrian and bicyclist passage and nature access and connects the Savannas Recreation Area and Indian Hills Recreation Area. Uniquely situated with limited access and surrounding wetlands, the project featured a 236-foot single-span steel plate girder bridge with a 23.5-foot vertical clearance and two ADA-compliant switchback approach ramps doubling as observation towers. The project was executed in two phases to assess feasibility and constructability prior to full plans production and environmental clearances.

WGI provided in-depth environmental services including qualitative and quantitative desktop analysis and environmental field reviews. Staff scientists conducted wetland and surface waters evaluations, protected species and critical habitat assessments, gopher tortoise surveys, compensatory wetland creation and mitigation planning, and successfully obtained environmental permits and construction authorizations.

Project Highlights:

The permit approach included early avoidance and minimization coordination and complex temporary construction access and staging coordination, including R/W phase and railroad coordination.