ACEC Tennessee Recognizes Park at Harlinsdale Farm Trail & Bridge Project
At the 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards Gala, the American Council of Engineering Companies – Tennessee (ACEC-TN) honored several projects for their innovation, problem-solving and the ability to improve the world. Among the award recipients was the Benesch-designed Park at Harlinsdale Farm Multi-Use Trail & Bridge, which earned a Grand Award in the Structural Systems Category.
The new trail and bridge provide a direct connection between Franklin High School, the Chestnut Bend neighborhood and the park, encouraging multimodal travel and reducing the number of cars on already congested roads. Prior to construction, the north side of downtown Franklin did not have a safe, non-motorized ADA accessible alternative to access the park.
To create this accessible connection, a new crossing over the Harpeth River was required. Situated in a sensitive flood zone, the design needed to carefully balance performance with impacts and cost. The Benesch team studied several span configurations, ultimately deciding on a 220-foot long, three span, concrete beam structure. As the signature bridge for the trail and park, it includes numerous aesthetic features such as decorative finishes, inlaid artwork and recessed lighting.
In addition to providing land surveying, NEPA document preparation, hydraulic modeling, and bridge and trail design, Benesch worked to help the City secure funding under a tight deadline. Benesch collaborated with Franklin to develop the project vision and translate that into a winning grant application. Two million dollars in TDOT Transportation Alternatives funding was successfully obtained.
“This project is seen as a catalyst to connectivity and further builds upon the Comprehensive Transportation Network Plan adopted by the City of Franklin,” explained Benesch Project Manager Brian Ralstin. “We were excited to support the City’s connectivity goals and are proud that the project has earned recognition from ACEC-TN.”
On November 6, Brian and additional project team members attended the awards ceremony and celebrated the recognition with City of Franklin staff.
