The City of Beverly, Massachusetts owns abutting waterfront properties at Glovers Wharf, Ferry Landing, and the Commercial/Harbormaster facilities in Beverly Harbor. GZA provided engineering services for the planning, evaluation, permitting, and design, as well as construction support services for various floating dock systems, timber pier, concrete and steel wharf, bulkhead, backland, and dredging.

Challenge

The City was looking to maintain, repair, and improve their facilities in Beverly Harbor. Work proceeded in two phases as grant monies became available.


Solution

Phase I improvements were completed in 2011 at Glovers Wharf and a portion of Ferry Landing. This included replacement of the deteriorated pile supported Glovers Wharf, granite block seawall repair, steel sheetpile bulkhead replacement, a new 1,500 square foot section of transient docks, and replacement and reconfiguration of the recreational marina. The new transient docks consisted of a pile-anchored, concrete floating dock system. Due to variability in the shallow bedrock, GZA worked with the contractor to determine the necessary rock socket lengths for each pile.  Water use regulations at the time necessitated design of a bottom-anchored system for the 5,300 square foot concrete floating dock system for the recreational marina. Also, 270 linear feet of seawall and shoreline bulkhead were replaced with a steel sheet pile bulkhead. The bulkhead was designed as a cantilever wall; however, the shallow bedrock limited toe embedment within the Ferry Landing and necessitated a design change during construction. Approximately 115 linear feet of bulkhead was adjusted to a tie-back system using a steel sheet pile deadman. Access to the recreational marina was provided via the transient docks with ADA compliant gangway access.

Within Ferry Landing, maintenance and improvement dredging were completed. As part of the water quality certification, air monitoring of hydrogen sulfide gas during dredging and pH adjustment of the dredged material during dewatering were required. GZA coordinated with the contractor to comply with regulatory requirements

Phase II included the replacement of the remaining transient floating docks and replacement and reconfiguration of the Harbormaster and Commercial Marina facilities. The systems consisted of 10,400 square feet of concrete floating docks with guide piles. As was the case during Phase I, rock socket lengths were adjusted at each pile location.
 


Benefit

City facilities were enhanced and upgraded to improve services to users.