Date of Defense
4-16-2019
Date of Graduation
4-2019
Department
Civil and Construction Engineering
First Advisor
Decker Hains
Second Advisor
Valerian Kwigizile
Abstract
Many suburban streets, and specifically Bronson Circle, in the city of Kalamazoo are in poor condition and in need of repair. Along with a new pavement design and additional drainage considerations, a complete redesign of the street’s cross-section with the concept of a “Complete Street” was created. A redesign of the site, traffic, pavement, drainage, and lighting were completed to lessen the street’s impact on the environment and make it more user friendly for all modes of transportation. This complete street design can be adjusted for terrain and used for any comparable urban street.
Included in this report is an analysis of the existing road geometry with recommended changes and a design for the addition of a sidewalk to make the neighborhood more pedestrian friendly; in accordance with a “Complete Street” and healthy communities. A detailed comparison of concrete and hot-mix asphalt (HMA) was also developed, where asphalt is determined the better choice for the needs of Kalamazoo’s urban streets. There is also an analysis of drainage conditions, with a step by step calculation of drainage requirements and how the discharge of the rain is managed once collected. Considerations for placing utility lines underground for a more aesthetically pleasing road was researched. It was determined, due to cost and sustainability, keeping the utilities above ground where they are positioned currently is the most effective design. Lastly, there is also an analysis of the required lighting along this street, which can be applied in many other areas, along with a detailed comparison between high pressure sodium vapor (HPS) luminaires and light emitting diode (LED) luminaires, which concludes with the recommendation to transition to LEDs rather than continue maintenance of the existing HPS luminaires.
The proposed design will cost $330,000 with all elements of the design expected to meet the needs of the next 50 years. The city will recoup at least some of that money through energy savings and reduced pavement repair costs.
Recommended Citation
Moulton, Matthew, "The Urban Development of Bronson Circle" (2019). Honors Theses. 3075.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/3075
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access