BergerWorld: 4th Quarter 2007

New Jersey To encourage bicycle travel and create 2,000 miles of bikeways in the state by 2008, NJDOT sought bikeway improvements on the 47-mile U.S. Route 40, extending from the New Jersey Turnpike to the Atlantic City Expressway. The Berger Group was selected by NJDOT to undertake the necessary studies and designs. Berger began by conducting a number of field investigations, analyzing cross-sections of the roadway, lane and shoulder widths, pavement striping, drainage grates, on-street parking, adjacent land use, existing bicycle facilities, signage and potential hazards. The Team then prepared physical inventories, noting site characteristics, mapping the areas and providing recommendations for enhancing conditions for bicycle use, as well as designs for the priority improvements.

The Berger Group was also commissioned by NJDOT to review and update nine bicycle guides. Berger's review included field reconnaissances to collect updated information, including locations of bike shops, food establishments, historical areas, schools, hiking areas, inns and potential roadway constraints. In addition, each guide's listing of mile markers for directional turns, street names and roadways were updated, and cartographic improvements were made to each route map.

In need of local bicycle planning assistance, the Berger Group was commissioned by NJDOT to assist the borough of Somerdale. Berger first organized a steering committee to provide project guidance and collect input to establish priority improvements, including current bicycle access and volume; circulation; traffic patterns; intersections; school, commercial area and park safety concerns; and linkages to surrounding neighborhoods. The Team then conducted physical inventories and field observations, and prepared a preliminary report and maps on the area's existing conditions and constraints. Throughout the project, community meetings and workshops were conducted to elicit feedback and obtain input on the proposed recommendations. Berger then prepared a final report, comprised of conceptual maps and illustrations; a proposed bicycle lane and multi-use trail; traffic calming techniques; sidewalk and curb cut construction; crosswalks and crossing signage; and mid-block crossings. The report also included cost estimates for the recommendations and potential funding sources.

North Carolina Under a grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the city of Tarboro retained the Berger Group to assist in the creation of a comprehensive bicycle plan. To achieve Tarboro's goals, Berger organized a stakeholder committee to guide the project and provide input. Berger then collected and analyzed data regarding existing facilities and conditions, including Geographic Information System (GIS) layers for land use, zoning, roads and easements, to identify potential opportunities for future routes. Next, Berger reviewed the town's existing plans, ordinances and procedures to identify ways to support additional bicycle facilities and improve existing ones. A final plan was then prepared, including a list of priority projects, an implementation effort and policy recommendations, for bicycle safety, education programs, additional bicycle racks and potential funding sources.

Partially funded by a grant from NCDOT, the town of Wake Forest retained Berger to identify new greenways, on-road bicycle paths, and programs and policies to encourage cycling. Berger worked closely with town staff, cycling advocates and park planners in developing online surveys and a website to gather stakeholders' interests on priority improvements. Following extensive discussions, Berger assisted the town in formulating priorities and implementation strategies for additional bicycle lanes, sharrows and off-road facilities, as well as policy recommendations to promote cycling.

Missouri As part of a Missouri Statewide Travel Model, the Missouri Department of Transportation retained the Berger Group to develop tools to assist in identifying and evaluating bicycle transportation improvements. Following a series of site reviews, Berger experts introduced additions to the Geographic Information System Developer's Kit (GISDK) for the Missouri Statewide Travel Model and FHWA's Bicycle Compatibility Index (BCI), allowing the program's user to better quantify and evaluate bicycle compatibility for specific routes. BCI is a level of service concept that uses the physical characteristics of a roadway section, including shoulders, on-street parking, motor vehicle traffic volumes, etc., to calculate a numerical level of service that is then converted into a rating plan. Coupling the BCI calculation with Berger's additions to GISDK allows the program's user to quickly estimate current and future conditions, as well as travel volumes or roadway changes.

New Hampshire The city of Manchester received funding from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) to convert an abandoned Manchester and Lawrence Railroad bed into a multi-use trail. The Berger Group was commissioned to provide planning, permitting, design and construction services. Berger conducted initial soils testing along the proposed rail corridor, finding a portion of the soils were contaminated with arsenic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The Team also discovered that rail ties from sections of the track were heavily contaminated with arsenic. As a result, guidelines and specifications were prepared for handling the contaminated ties and soils, and pavement and mulch were used to cap the site.

Manchester also selected Berger to provide design, permitting and construction services for the Precourt Park Trail. The project included the construction of approximately 1,100 feet of eight-foot-wide paved trail and a 50-foot-long wooden bridge over Bakers Brook.

The Berger Group was retained for the design, permitting and construction of the Winnipesaukee River Trail. The first phase included a 3.1-mile-long stone dust trail along the abandoned Boston & Maine Rail line. The second phase will extend an additional 2.1 miles from the end of the existing trail. Upon completion, this extension will include a connection to Northfield's historic Arch Park; the construction of a new Winnipesaukee River crossing; and the addition of a path adjacent to the Plymouth & Lincoln Railroad line.

The town of Belmont is currently planning the 5.3-mile Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail. The Berger Group was commissioned to complete a feasibility study for the trail, and is currently providing planning, designs and construction services.

Vermont The Rutland Regional Planning Commission selected the Berger Group to provide planning and engineering services for improving Rutland's East Creek Trail in support of a request for the Vermont Agency of Transportation's funding. The Team will utilize GIS data to evaluate cultural and natural resource impacts.

Pennsylvania Under a Federal Bureau of Prisons project, Berger analyzed replacing a former railroad right-of-way with a new recreation trail adjacent to a penitentiary in Canaan Township,

Pennsylvania. The Team identified six types of wetlands and open waters and 15 historical resources which could potentially deter certain alignments. Berger then organized a steering committee of local officials and prison personnel to provide guidance and input; recommended a route that would be the most cost effective and present the fewest environmental impacts; and prepared designs for the trail's construction.

Massachusetts The Nantasket Beach Reservation provides year-round recreation for thousands of residents in the greater Boston area. The Berger Group is currently improving the Reservation under a

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation project. The Team's master plan will enhance access to the Reservation by improving the protective seawall and constructing a three-mile-long promenade and bicycle path along the beach without impairing pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Washington In order to improve riverfront accessibility to the East Fork Lewis River and connect two regional parks, the JD White division of Berger/ABAM (B/A) Engineers Inc. was commissioned by Clark County to plan a two-mile-long scenic pedestrian trail along the river. B/A also developed an educational narrative describing and illustrating the importance of rivers, wildlife, native plant communities, and historical and present-day human activities with supporting graphics, innovative signage and interpretive stations for trail users.

B/A also provided urban design and public involvement services for the award-winning Discovery Historic Loop Trail, a 2.3-mile trail in Vancouver, Washington.