=====> Background Info Slideshow <=====                                              9/15/13

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Background Info: Avon Boardwalk Redesign

Systems Engineering II

Ancestry.com. Avon Overlook. Web. 15 September 2013.

Due to the small population of Avon, the target group of users most affected by this is the group of tourists from urban areas that are attracted to the beach during the summer months. The pedestrian foot traffic that the Avon boardwalk and beach sustains in a single summer week is greater than the entire population of the town. In addition to tourists, the Avon boardwalk and beach are used everyday by locals. The boardwalk is what separates the massive Atlantic Ocean from the minuscule piece of land that is the town of Avon. To residents, the boardwalk is an iconic piece of the town that represents protection, relaxation, and an important source of income.

Seeds, Jeffrery. Boardwalk of the Absurd. Web. 15 September 2013.

Oswald, John. Broken boardwalk. Web. 15 September 2013.

The reasons for rebuilding this boardwalk are obvious.. Each year over 40,000 people visit the boardwalk and the majority pay for beach access. Assume 75% of the 40,000 summer guests go to the beach. That 75% represents $270,000 for the town of Avon. Without a boardwalk and ticket booths to sell beach passes, the town loses this money. Other boardwalk stakeholders include owners of local surf schools, Inns, Hotels, and restaurants such as the owners of the Avon Pavilion. All of these businesses are impacted negatively by the lack of summer tourism that is inevitable without the main attraction.

Avonbytheseanj.com .Avon .Beach Traffic. Web. 15 September 2013.

The replacement boardwalk should promote a similar feeling that the original structure did. The style of the old boardwalk was simple; Wooden boards, concrete benches, and tall plain light posts gave the boardwalk a classic beachy feel. This same mood should be recreated with the construction of the new boardwalk. The nostalgic mood of a classic beach boardwalk will replace the mood that the old boardwalk created. This will bring the town of Avon back to a state of normalcy instead of introducing a modern foreign structure that has no meaning to the residents or annual guests. Although accomplishing this mood is important, maintaining the structural integrity of the boardwalk and the associated structures takes precedence.

Heidel, Theresa Avon Boardwalk. Web. 15 September 2013.

The beachfront of Avon is only one example of the catastrophe caused by Hurricane Sandy. Boardwalks up and down the Jersey Shore were completely destroyed. Some boardwalks fared better than others. Towns fitted their beach fronts with different products and structures, and therefore different post storm results can be seen. For example, on the Bradley Beach boardwalk stone pavers were used instead of wooden planks. These pavers remain in place, and weren’t displaced during the hurricane. Most boardwalk piling support systems remained intact, but almost all of the wooden board surfaces were ripped away. This shows that one of the main design failures during Hurricane Sandy was the connection between the boardwalk support systems and the boardwalk surface.

Super storm Sandy caused billions of dollars of damage along the United States coastline. Avon by the Sea is one small town on the Jersey shore that was affected by this catastrophe. The Avon Boardwalk, a huge source of revenue for the town, was completely destroyed during the hurricane. The main decking of the boardwalk was washed away completely, and buildings attached to the boardwalk were ripped from their foundations and strewn about the town. After the storm, all that remained was the piling system. Every year more than 40,000 tourists visit Avon by the Sea, many with the sole purpose of visiting the beach. The boardwalk must be rebuilt to withstand storms such as Hurricane Sandy, but must maintain the classic beach mood that Avon locals and visitors alike have come to know and love. Components from other boardwalks that survived the storm will be instrumental the research and development process of the new walkway.   

Works Cited

"6 Months Report: Superstorm Sandy." 6 Months Report: Superstorm Sandy from Pre-Disaster to Recovery | FEMA.gov. FEMA, 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.

"Profile of General Demographic Characteristics." New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development,, Apr. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.

Wernersbach, Paul K. "The New Jersey Seashore Tradition." Welcome to Avon-by-the-Sea, The New Jersey Seashore Tradition. Avon by the Sea, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013. 

               

oardwalk Redesign