| May 12, 2006
(Millersburg, Pa.) With the help of Gannett Fleming, the Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art is working to take its mission — to merge the worlds of nature and art — one step further, literally. It is currently developing plans to build a pedestrian bridge over the nearby Wiconisco Creek, which currently acts as a barrier between the Center’s “world of nature” and “world of art.”
A DCNR artist’s rendering of the completed bridge. (Photo courtesy DCNR.) |
Situated on more than 500 acres of natural land near Millersburg, Pa., in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, the Ned Smith Center was founded in 1993 to celebrate the life and works of its namesake, the nationally recognized wildlife artist, naturalist, and writer, Ned Smith, who lived in Millersburg. In 2004, the Center opened its permanent home on the north bank of the Wiconisco Creek in a building complete with an art gallery, gift shop, and educational class rooms. Future plans include constructing an amphitheatre adjacent to the building, with space for future additional development.
While located in this beautiful setting, the majority of the Center’s land is situated on the slopes of Berry Mountain on the south side of Wiconisco Creek and, therefore, opposite its new art and education facilities. Currently, visitors must travel via local roads for approximately one mile to access a bridge that crosses the creek and connects to the Center’s vast forested lands and trail system.
To bridge this obvious gap, the Center is preparing to build a pedestrian bridge across the creek, which is expected to be constructed this summer and opened in the fall. It will be 10 feet wide, 236 feet long, and aesthetically complement the Center and its natural setting. In addition, it will provide pedestrians and bicyclists access between the Center and existing and proposed trails, including an abandoned railroad bed, which has been identified as a future rail-trail. The bridge and new trail system, which are being designed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, will be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
U.S. Representative Tim Holden presents a check for $600,000 for the bridge project. Pictured are (from left) DCNR Design Engineer George DiCarlantonio, NSCNA Committee Chair Wayne Kober, U.S. Representative Tim Holden, State Representative Mark McNaughton, Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art Executive Director Jerry Regan, Board President Jim Drager, and Gannett Fleming Vice President Rich Pugh. (Photo courtesy Kevin Reagan, Upper Dauphin Sentinel.) |
A primary concern of this project involved designing a bridge and trail system that avoided and/or minimized environmental impacts. For the past two years, Gannett Fleming has been working with the Center’s Trail Bridge Committee to plan and implement this initiative. Gannett Fleming initially assisted in the planning stages, conducting several studies, including wetlands and geotechnical investigations. This involvement provided information to support the pursuit of federal funding for the bridge design and construction. In fact, the Center received $600,000 in federal transportation funds that are being administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
In order to assist the Center in meeting these funds’ requirements, Gannett Fleming’s role in this project evolved into two additional key components – preparing a Categorical Exclusion Evaluation (CEE) and providing environmental services in support of the preparation of a Joint Permit Application.
The CEE documented the project’s potential environmental impacts in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This evaluation was required because of the funds received through PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. The CEE was approved this past March.
A Joint Permit Application — the Pennsylvania Water Obstruction and Encroachment Permit and United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 4040 Permit — was required because this project involved constructing a new structure over water. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and USACE are currently reviewing this application.
The new pedestrian bridge will span the creek without the need for bridge piers in the stream and be completely above the 100-year-flood elevation. In addition, erosion and sedimentation controls will be utilized to avoid temporary or permanent wetland impacts, thus ensuring that this important initiative’s natural setting be preserved.
Please note — If you are interested in nature and/or art, July 28-29, 2006, marks the 13th Annual Ned Smith Center Nature & Arts Festival. For more information about the Center or this event, please visit www.nedsmithcenter.org.
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