Perspectives
Thomas Pulse, PE, President
As 2010 ends, it’s worth reflecting
on what was a challenging year
for all of us. Nationally, we were
constantly reminded of the financial,
cultural, and personal struggles
Americans faced. Each of us
felt the sting of an economy that
just couldn’t build strength or
momentum. It was with focus and
dedication that we as a firm – and
as a nation – refused to succumb to
the negative drumbeat.
We have all come far from the collapse of 2008, and signs of future
prosperity for our country are beginning to appear. We at Ayres
Associates are thankful for all of our clients and all the successful
projects we’ve had a hand in this past year. Many loyal clients have
chosen Ayres Associates as their engineering consultant, and we
deeply respect the trust you have placed in us. Our company was
not spared from the negative effects of the recession, yet we expect
our future to be bright, and we plan to continue working with you
to make yours bright as well.
The bridges were raised to create a higher navigational
clearance, and there is more space between the piles, so
water should flow easier in and out of the bays. “We used
the same environmental footprint that was there before; it’s
just a little higher,” Boudreau said, “and without the
creosote.”
Sarasota County needed to coordinate with several
permitting agencies because of the intercoastal environment.
“Ayres Associates kept us in line with our permits, making
sure we didn’t step outside our bounds,” Boudreau said.
One way this was accomplished was through the swales,
or ditches, at either side of the approaches to each bridge.
The swales were designed to collect the water runoff from
the bridges and treat the water before it was discharged
back into the bays. “Getting those right was probably one
of our biggest concerns,” Boudreau said.
The design of these bridges had overwhelming
community support, but that public backing also brought
pressure to Ayres Associates to get it right – and get the
design done quickly. “There was a lot of demand for these
bridges because they were the missing link,” Sunna said.
Boudreau’s job was to make sure any issues in the
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TRENDS
field were resolved quickly. “Steve Laney’s response
always came in on time, and he worked with us to get
what we needed,” he said.
The contractor, Misner Marine, kept the project on
schedule and took steps to minimize the effect of
construction on the sensitiv