Clima-Pave - NUI Galway

Background

With the huge expansion in student numbers and campus facilities in recent years at NUI Galway, it has brought increased demand for on-campus parking for fulltime and part-time students along with University staff. Existing car parking facilities have been unable to cope and ease of entry and exit at exiting car parks was becoming more difficult.

In 2008 the university applied to Galway County Council for a 500 space park and ride car park in Dangan with shuttle bus facilities taking users back to the various University sites in the city. This is the first permanent facility of its kind in the city or county.

The Challenge

The site proposed for the car park was in use as sport playing fields for the University, part of the playing fields were to be retained and remain useable after construction was complete. The site is in a low-lying area within close proximity to the river Corrib. A stream on the site was currently carrying surface water from the site to the Corrib. Ground conditions were varying across the site with some soft peat areas within the proposed car park area. A tanked permeable pavement system was proposed by the client’s consulting engineers, Arup. The system would drain into the existing
stream which is a tributary of the nearby Corrib.

The Solution

Kilsaran engaged with the main contractor, Glenman Corporation, and the consulting engineer early in the project to offer expert advice and design assistance for the site. The site required particular attention to structural design of the pavement and strict requirements for dealing with potential contaminants in the run-off water from the car park. Kilsaran along with our design consultants drawing from experience on large scale permeable pavement developments on previous projects, was able to offer a full bespoke design service to suit the client’s needs.

Construction commenced on site in early 2009. Kilsaran supplied over 10,000m of Clima-PaveTM permeable paving to the project along with all of the kerbing and tactile paving required for pedestrian crossings. The NUI Galway Park and Ride facility was opened for use in September 2009 and both the client and contractor were delighted with the completed project.