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Press Release
Volunteer Project Will Help Improve Access and Safety at Andrew
Molera State Park: U&R Civil Engineers & Surveyors Will
Provide Annual Volunteer Land Survey, Maps
Note: We Encourage Other Companies
in the Construction Field to Volunteer to Help Communities Dealing
With the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
SAN JOSE, CA and BIG SUR, CA — (MARKET
WIRE) — 09/21/2005 — Visitors who walk to the beach
at scenic Andrew Molera State Park will be one step closer to
accessing it year-round instead of only seasonally, thanks to
a firm returning to the Big Sur area for their annual volunteer
project. Underwood & Rosenblum, Inc. civil engineers and surveyors
(U&R, www.UandR.com) will provide a pro bono land survey and
maps starting September 29th. This will help the California State
Parks staff develop plans and obtain funding for an accessible,
permanent year-round bridge.
With one of the few beaches in Big Sur accessible
to the public, Andrew Molera State Park allows visitors to walk
along the Big Sur River to the ocean and enjoy coastal views.
Horseback riding, walk-in campgrounds, children's programs plus
11 other activities/facilities are within the park boundaries.
"Underwood & Rosenblum has been a great
help to California State Parks," said State Parks Associate
Civil Engineer Joan Carpenter. "Due to U&R's volunteer
project last year at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and the resulting
donation, we are about to construct a new culvert that will improve
fish passage and help save the steelhead trout in the Big Sur
River. The Molera bridge project is currently unfunded, so we
are hopeful that a similar type of donation will happen again."
Currently, a low plank bridge provides access
to the beach at Andrew Molera State Park. It is taken out during
the winter and spring. The bridge is just two feet wide; a difficult
crossing for families with children and others with less agility.
Since the hike from the parking area to the beach is fairly level,
the river crossing is the only impediment to beach access for
many visitors. If funded, a permanent bridge could be built above
the 100-year flood plain. Hand railings, easy approach ramps,
and a wider surface will make a permanent bridge safer. This is
particularly appealing to people who are unstable on their feet,
a challenge that is more common for toddlers and as we age. Carpenter
notes that many visitors enjoy just standing on bridges in state
parks to watch the river flow by and look for wildlife.
With the current system called a summer bridge,
planks are installed or removed twice a year, slightly disturbing
the stream which contains threatened steelhead trout. A permanent
bridge would create a minor disruption for the fish for the last
time. Once the volunteer survey and preliminary plans are developed,
State Parks can begin the process of obtaining permits and determining
appropriate mitigations for this sensitive site.
For this volunteer project, U&R staff will
measure the dimensions and topography of the land using their
state-of-the-art land survey equipment. They will cover the complete
route to the beach. Staff will then create maps using their survey
results and AutoCAD software. As they do each year, U&R staff
provide pro bono services using a combination of the company's
payroll and employee's own time.
Carpenter continues, "U&R did an excellent
job last year when volunteering to help save the steelhead trout
by providing surveys at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Because of
their volunteer efforts and the surrounding media coverage, a
family foundation donated $10,000. These funds were used to obtain
all of the required environmental permits for the project and
to complete the design. Construction will start this year on the
culvert for Post Creek which native steelhead have used for thousands
of years to lay their eggs."
The California State Parks Volunteers in Parks
(VIP) Program provides a wide range of volunteer opportunities.
Volunteers have become integral to the park operations. However,
U&R is the first company Carpenter is aware of in the engineering
field to volunteer their professional services.
About Underwood & Rosenblum, Inc. civil
engineers and surveyors:
For information on U&R, visit www.UandR.com
or call (408) 453-1222. For a list of U&R's previous community
service projects, visit http://www.UandR.com/community.html.
About Andrew Molera State Park:
For information, visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=582.
Media Contact:
Frank Rosenblum, PE, PLS
Principal Engineer/President
Email Contact
(408) 453-1222 X12
SOURCE: Underwood & Rosenblum, Inc. civil engineers and surveyors
(U & R)
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