Trends Summer 2018

Project earns ‘Excellence Award’ A bridge rehabilitation project in Chippewa Falls has won a 2018 State Finalist Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin. State finalist awards are presented to projects demonstrating a high degree of client satisfaction through quality, cost-effective solutions. The Spring Street bridge, a historic and well-known structure in the heart of Chippewa Falls, was originally constructed in 1916 and is the only remaining Marsh rainbow- arch structure in Wisconsin and one of only a few in the country. Though the bridge itself is not large, completing this rehabilitation was no small feat. As the public did not want to replace the historic structure, several rehabilitation and replacement options were considered. After performing a traffic study, Ayres suggested making Spring Street a one-way street to remove the Functionally Deficient classification of the bridge. The rehabilitation of the arch bridge required concrete repairs, a concrete deck overlay, concrete staining, and the use of a new technology of fiber-wrap reinforcing to preserve the historic features without damaging or removing the beautiful features that make this bridge an iconic landmark in the community of Chippewa Falls. A banquet celebrating the project and others recognized in this year’s competition was held March 23 in Kohler, Wisconsin. Hydraulics expert joins staff Nationally recognized hydraulics expert William Rahmeyer has recently begun work in Ayres Associates’ Fort Collins, Colorado, office as a senior associate. He joins Ayres’ group of instructors teaching transportation hydraulics-related courses for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Highway Institute as well as assisting with research-related project work. Rahmeyer has completed several independent external peer review projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Much of his career was spent at Utah State University, where he was professor of civil and environmental engineering and lead professor of the hydraulics and fluid mechanics program for the Civil Engineering Department and the Utah Water Research Laboratory. Rahmeyer’s areas of specialization include over- bank flooding, the effects of vegetation on flow resistance, fuse gate control structures, model studies of hydraulic structures, sedimentation and erosion studies, basic research in open and closed conduit flow, control valves, cavitation, transients, and hydro machinery testing. The Perspectives segment provides summaries of key new hires and staff achievements at Ayres Associates. Find more company news at AyresAssociates.com. AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY 3433 Oakwood Hills Parkway Eau Claire, WI 54701 715.834.3161 www.AyresAssociates.com Editorial Staff: Jennifer Schmidt, Wendy Kinderman, Stephanie Rieselman, and Tawny Quast Graphic Designer: Sarah Howe Gamroth Manager – Marketing: Susan Leith ©2018 Ayres Associates Inc Phoenix, Arizona 602.275.2655 Fort Collins, Colorado 970.223.5556 Cape Coral, Florida 813.558.3323 Jacksonville, Florida 904.260.6288 Tampa, Florida – Benjamin Center 813.290.8899 Tampa, Florida – Hidden River 813.978.8688 Titusville, Florida 321.747.0066 Green Bay, Wisconsin 920.498.1200 Madison, Wisconsin 608.443.1200 River Falls, Wisconsin 715.426.4908 Waukesha, Wisconsin 262.523.4488 Cheyenne, Wyoming 307.634.9888 Photography Credits: Assistance from the air: Ayres Associates staff and MTE staff photos Strategic sequencing: Kathy M. Helgeson, TBOstudio.com, and AC Johnson Photography Staying in the loop: Ayres Associates staff Engineering a safer solution: Ayres Associates staff Trending Topics: Ayres Associates staff Timeless Trends: Ayres Associates staff TRENDS │17

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