Lafayette Pedestrian Safety Tunnel

Built in 1929, the railroad bridge carrying an active CSXT Railroad line over Lafayette Street in Tallahassee, Florida, cleared all vehicle lanes but did not account for the safe passage of pedestrians. To increase safety, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) constructed a 55-foot-long, 12-foot-diameter pedestrian tunnel, which completes the sidewalk along Lafayette Street, as well as provides safe passage between office buildings west of the bridge and residential/retail areas to the east. RS&H provided construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services for the project.

The project had a limited staging area for equipment and materials and included strict lane closure limitations. Lafayette Street had to remain open during morning and evening rush hours, along with all Florida State University and Florida A&M University home football games.

RS&H provided inspection services for:

• Erosion control plan implementation and maintenance
• Maintenance of traffic plan and implementation
• Earthwork for construction
• Placement and curing concrete retaining walls and sidewalks
• Reinforcing steel placement and ties for concrete retaining walls
• Temporary and permanent sheet pile wall construction
• Tunnel liner plate construction