March 3, 2010
Reston, Va. — Concordia University Wisconsin’s Lakeshore Environmental Enhancement and Education Project has been selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) as a finalist for the 2010 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award (OCEA). The lakeshore project is one of five finalists for the annual award, which will be presented to the winner at a gala in Washington, D.C. on March 25, 2010.
Concordia University Wisconsin initiated the lakeshore project to stabilize a 130-foot high bluff along Lake Michigan. Prior to the project, 20,000 tons of sediment eroded from the bluff into Lake Michigan each year. Additionally, the lakefront was completely inaccessible.
Led by the multidisciplinary firm JJR, LLC, the completed project includes a 2,700 foot-long stabilized bluff and restored shoreline with accessible trails, a beach, an amphitheater and bioengineered habitat areas. The habitat areas were specifically designed for biological and ecological study, and are used as research platforms for students.
The bluff also serves as one of the only public access points to Lake Michigan in the area. The result is a precisely engineered lakefront that is gracefully integrated into its environmental, educational and community context.
Established in 1960, the OCEA program recognizes projects from around the world for their contribution to the well-being of people and communities, their resourcefulness in planning and design challenges, and their innovative use of materials and techniques. The other four finalists are:
- The Arrowhead Tunnels Project -- Inland Feeder Program, San Bernardino, Calif.
- The Sound Transit Central Link Light Rail: Section 710 Beacon Hill Station and Tunnels, Seattle, Wash.
- The Sutong Bridge, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China
- The Utah State Capitol Seismic Base Isolation and Restoration, Salt Lake City, Utah
More information about the award is available here: http://content.asce.org/handa/opal.html. For press passes, please contact Leikny Johnson at 703-295-6413 or ljohnson@asce.org.
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 144,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information, visit www.asce.org.
###
Media Contact: Leikny Johnson, 703-295-6413, ljohnson@asce.org