LORMAN, MS
Neel-Schaffer helps improve the ‘Game Day’ experience
Neel-Schaffer was selected by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Alcorn State University to provide design and construction engineering services for a new parking lot on the campus.
Completed in October 2018, the new lot has access roads from SR 552. The $5 million project included widening, signage and landscaping along SR 552, and improvements to an existing RV parking lot that serves Spinks-Casem Stadium, home of the Braves’ football team.
As part of the preconstruction services, Neel-Schaffer used its in-house drone service to analyze the traffic flow and parking availability on football Saturdays. Neel-Schaffer used its drone to produce aerial video and still photography that was then used in the traffic and parking study phase.
The new parking lot has approximately 1,530 LF of access road arranged in a boulevard style with raised medians. This new access provides for safe and efficient entrance and exit to the parking facilities on game day, with a north-and south-bound entrance lane and one exit lane. The design includes lighting and landscaping at the entrance to the campus and throughout the parking lot, intersection improvements, and 500 pervious concrete parking stalls, including several handicapped spaces.
In addition to game day parking, the main parking lot was designed with daily use in mind, and is now utilized by faculty and students as part of the university’s day-to-day activities.
The RV parking lot was redesigned to include 66 marked spaces with individual water and power connections as well as 1,840 LF of access roads, lighting, drainage improvements, a sewage dumping station, and a detention pond.
In its consultant performance evaluation, MDOT gave Neel-Schaffer a 4.55 overall rating (on a 1-5 scale), including top scores of 5.0 for Prosecution & Progress, and Quality of Work. “Neel-Schaffer had a short schedule to get this project completed and they were able to make their milestone dates,” wrote MDOT’s Richard Pittman in his review. “Also, they were always aware of when the plans needed to be submitted without prompting.”
Pittman also wrote: “The plans were always of great quality at the conceptual stage, field inspection, etc. Any changes resulting from these meetings were added to the plans with the same level of quality.”
In addition to working for MDOT, Neel-Schaffer also worked directly for Alcorn State for part of the project, providing construction oversight for the improvements to the RV park.
