Engineering the Glass City Riverwalk: JD Fields' Seawall Solution in Toledo, Ohio

Sitting on the western end of Lake Erie and along the Maumee River, the city of Toledo, also known as the “Glass City” for its historic glass manufacturing, is home to about 270,000 residents. Its waterfront location set the stage for the Glass City Riverwalk, a major initiative to transform the shoreline into a lively public destination. The riverwalk now connects parks, trails, and cultural landmarks along the Maumee River. JD Fields & Company, Inc. had the privilege of partnering on the Glass City Riverwalk project in Toledo, Ohio, to deliver a seawall solution that would provide long-term stability and integrate with the earliest design.

The VECP (Value Engineering Change Proposal) consisted of substituting the original design with sawtooth sheet piling. The design featured PZC 18 sheet piles arranged in a sawtooth layout as Deadman tail walls in lieu of traditional thread bar anchors. This innovative design use of piling contributed to faster construction, allowing the pile driving crew to complete the wall construction with limited equipment. Eleven tail walls were comprised of 5 sawtooth pairs of ~10’ length, PZC 18 sheets were driven to elevation 558. The design accommodated a twelve-inch storm sewer and required the removal of the existing sheet pile structure.

Complete Project Material List:

• HP10x42 (4,900’)

• HP12x53 (4,750’)

• 12.75” x .250” Pipe (9,905’)

• 14” x .375” Pipe (3,825’)

• 16” x .500” Pipe (2,800’)

• PZC18 Sheet Pile (455 tons)

• PZC28 Sheet Pile (1,150 tons)

Our team is always ready to approach each project with fresh ideas and methods. Thank you to the Engineer of Record, E.L. Robinson Engineering, and the contractor, Kokosing Construction Co., Inc., for working with us to improve Toledo's iconic riverwalk infrastructure. We're also grateful to Baseline Supply LLC for choosing JD Fields & Company, Inc. steel.

Reach our team at (281) 558-7199 or email info@jdfields.com to discuss your next project.