NEWS
It takes more than electricity to light a bridge. That’s something Crafton Tull engineers learned firsthand when they were tasked with helping to illuminate the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project involved creativity, real-world testing, and collaboration to produce a solution for lighting bridge without compromising its strength.
Paul Zimmerman, Vice President of the Koontz Electric Co. High Voltage Division, said when Koontz was awarded this project, they knew the biggest challenge was how to attach items to the bridge without drilling, tapping or welding. That’s when Koontz reached out to Crafton Tull’s Hot Springs office, which was then B&F Engineering.
Dustin Ward, P.E., S.E., a Vice President in Crafton Tull's Structural Engineering division, said affixing anything to a bridge must be done with extreme caution. Some bridges can have mechanical attachments, such as welded studs or bolted plates, but the Hoan bridge contains components that are considered “nonredundant steel tension members” (previously called “fracture-critical”), which meant it wasn’t that simple.
Crafton Tull Stakes Out Survey Student Success with Annual UACCM Scholarship
Crafton Tull is now helping students to plot their path into the field of surveying at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) through a newly established student scholarship.
UACCM is a leader in producing qualified surveyors, including a total of 26 UACCM graduates at Crafton Tull. With that in mind, Crafton Tull recently established a $2,000 scholarship to be given annually to students studying surveying at the school.
“Our company has a long-standing relationship with UACCM,” said CEO Matt Crafton. “We know the survey teachers at UACCM offer great instruction to the students there, so it was an easy decision for Crafton Tull to support the program.”
All-Terrain Wheelchair Offerings by Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Game & Fish Have Personal Meaning
Mobility is something that many take for granted. Walking a trail or navigating a park seems like a simple task, but that isn’t the case for everyone. Mobility issues affect 12.2% of the U.S. population, meaning roughly one in every 10 people has serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. In Arkansas, that percentage is even higher at 18%.
The natural beauty and abundance of wildlife in Arkansas makes the state widely known for hiking, hunting, fishing, and the like. But for those facing mobility challenges, the terrain associated with outdoor activities often presents a barrier. However, there is a tool that can roll right over those barriers — an all-terrain wheelchair.
This is almost exactly as it sounds. It’s a wheelchair that can traverse terrain that has previously created barriers for those wanting to take part in The Natural State’s most popular pastimes. Just ask Craton Tull CADD Coordinator Brad Unruh. He knows all about this chair, which is typically referred to by the brand name, Action Trackchair.
“I’ve had mobility limitations all my life that have limited my outdoor activities,” Unruh said. “The Trackchair has made those activities possible.”
