Transportation Senior Project Team 2021

Overview

The 2020-2021 Cal Poly Pomona Transportation Senior Project Team is looking for sponsors and donations to help cover the cost of presentation materials, software licenses, and other expenses to complete the project. This is a great opportunity to support and give back to students pursuing their undergraduate journey and look forward to starting their professional careers following their graduation this spring!

Project Team

As a group of 20 students, co-advised by Senior Engineers from Caltrans District 8, we were  tasked to prepare a Preliminary Project Study Report (PSR) on a real-life highway project. Our senior project has been conducting a series of various studies including a Planning Study, Traffic Analysis, Geometric Design, Construction Staging, Environmental Impact Study, and Cost Benefit Analysis. Due to the virtual learning environment, this year’s project team has worked to design the senior project completely while being remote, requiring multiple weekly team meetings, virtual collaboration, and purchase of additional software. These studies have covered a wide range of the core courses related to the transportation emphasis of Civil Engineering. 

Project Description

The City of Beaumont and Caltrans District 8 are proposing two (2) interchange projects along California State Route 79 (SR-79) from East First Street to Gilman Springs Road along with bringing it up to freeway conditions. The proposed project consists of rolling terrain that extends from the North of East First Street until Gilman Springs Road. There are three existing intersections that run along the SR-79. The first is a signalized intersection located at East First Street. The second location is a stop sign intersection at California Avenue and SR-79 Expressway, where the team is proposing the creation of a new freeway interchange. The last location is a signalized intersection at Lamb Canyon Road and SR-79 Expressway, where the team is proposing a conversion to a new freeway interchange. In addition to the proposed interchanges at California Avenue and Lamb Canyon Road, the widening and realignment of the SR-79 bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be proposed to connect California Avenue to Gilman Springs Road, making the route accessible to all users. The team is currently looking for ways to balance local needs with protecting conserved lands on either side of the project location.

Learning Outcomes

Through this senior project, students have been immersed into a real-world design scenario by following the Caltrans Project Development Process which includes: technical aspects of interchange improvements, formulation of project purpose and need, project scheduling, team building strategies, and public speaking techniques. We are excited to present the completed project, our findings, and our recommendations for improving the SR-79. The goal of our project is to maximize the learning experience of our team members and instill a passion that will carry throughout their careers following graduation. We believe that by raising this money, our team can continue to focus our attention to completing a distinct project that will help us advance to the finals of the College of Engineering Senior Symposium in April. With your contribution, our team will continue to excel in our efforts made throughout the school year, and are thankful for your generosity in helping the next generation of Civil Engineers!