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          GEORGE FINCH/Boney and Associates, P.A. was selected by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation to  surveying, design, and construction administration services for renovation of 650-feet of the Scuttle Hole Trail.  The project involved the construction of steel-framed stairs and gravel trail tread to provide a code compliant means of egress from the Sky Lounge building, located at a significantly higher elevation above the public parking area.  It was essential that the routing and necessary construction methods preserve the existing vegetation and rock outcroppings to the greatest extent feasible, thus making the project an interesting exercise in problem solving

 

Construction included the demolition of existing wooden stairs in various locations, the construction of steel-framed stairs and landings with guardrails and handrails, gravel trail tread, and stone cribwalls. Having no vehicular access to the project site dictated certain design decisions and required that much of the structure and materials had to be airlifted into place. 

 

GFBA served as lead project designer from advanced planning through project completion and closeout, with the assistance of Morrison Engineers, PLLC as structural design consultant.  Construction of the project's upper section was completed in 2011, with the lower section completed in 2012.