Based in Madison , Wisconsin , Hunt will collaborate with regional and state organizations , community leaders , business owners , and key stakeholders as she guides visioning , data analysis , master planning , and studies that successfully lead to and support opportunities for growth and development . She will work extensively with Ayres ’ planners , economic development specialists , landscape architects , environmental scientists , and engineers to turn plans and studies into buildable design solutions that bolster local vitality and economies .
Hunt is a certified economic developer and economic development finance professional , as well as chair of the Wisconsin Downtown Action Council and the Wisconsin Economic Development Association .
ACEC WI AWARDS RECOGNIZE TWO PROJECTS
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin used its Engineering Excellence Awards program to recognize two Ayres transportation projects that improved lives from the southeast to northwest corners of the state .
The USH 53 / USH 63 Trego Interchange project won a Best of State Award , and the Racine West 6th Street Bridge project won a State Finalist Award . More about these projects below .
More Than Just an Interchange As traffic volumes along USH 53 increased , the safety at two offset at-grade intersections of the four-lane highway with USH 63 and CTH “ E ” southwest of Hayward came into question . The answer was a full-service interchange project in which Ayres provided roadway design and coordinated with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation ’ s bridge designers . access modifications ; the excavation of contaminated soils ; and impacts on wetlands , a railroad , and the Wild Rivers State Trail and other public lands . Designers added value to the project and accommodated businesses in many ways , including a snowmobile / ATV crossing near Mackey Road , a sidewalk on the north side of the bridge carrying USH 63 over USH 53 , and expanding parking at a Wild Rivers State Trail head .
Historic Bridge Ready for the Future Replacing a distinctive 94-year-old bridge is no simple matter . The City of Racine entrusted Ayres with the design of a new West 6 th Street Bridge that did not throw away the past as it looked to the future . The resulting project safely accommodates multiple modes of transportation on the bridge , vastly improves the experience of those traveling along the riverside greenspace under the bridge , and preserves key visual elements of the 1928 bridge .
It was not practical to fit the interchange into the existing intersection locations , so the project ultimately involved rerouting USH 63 to intersect with USH 53 about a half-mile south of the existing USH 63 intersection .
The project in Washburn County required the reconstruction of about 1 mile of USH 53 and the reconfiguration of several local roads around the interchange , including the realignment of CTH “ E ” and construction of new service roads parallel to USH 53 .
What makes such an engineering endeavor go smoothly is extensive public outreach and governmental coordination . The complex project required residential and business relocations ;
The beloved landmark was a 161-foot-long combination open spandrel concrete arch structure . The primary alternative considered for the replacement was a two-span concrete bridge , but incorporating historically inspired aesthetic
22 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .