Abstract
My STS and technical reports both seek to address the disproportionate socioeconomic harm that results from the inequitable distribution of infrastructure. The quality of infrastructure, defined as a network of physical and social systems necessary for the development of society, highly influences the socioeconomic outcomes of the social groups who utilize it. In Pittsburgh, the inequitable deconstruction of traditional (non-renewable) steel mills during the 1970s and 80s led to the rise of a “structural underclass” in the city core (Haller, 2005, p.12). A structural underclass is a portion of the population (typically working-class and minority neighborhoods) that is disconnected from the existing labor force via corporate/legislative policy. The implementation of these policies leads to generational poverty and high rates of unemployment in affected communities. The proportion of African Americans in Pittsburgh making less than $3000 per year doubled between 1979 to 1989 due to the closure of several America-based steel plants in the city (Haller, 2005). This dramatic wealth reduction was not reflected within majority white neighborhoods in Pittsburgh during the same time period. It is critical that minority stakeholders are represented in the development of the built environment. Otherwise, the pattern of unequal harm caused by poor planning – as observed in Pittsburgh – will continue globally. My technical research paper avoids this disparity in representation by including disabled communities in urban development. This was achieved by focusing on how accessible pedestrian infrastructure may be built in a car-centric landscape at minimal cost and disruption to surrounding neighborhoods. My STS paper prioritizes the involvement and consideration of low-income African Americans in the transition from nonrenewable-to-sustainable infrastructure.
The technical research paper outlines the process our Capstone group used to produce engineering design sheets and specifications for a pedestrian bridge across US-29 near Zan Road. Our team’s primary goals were to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and minimize material, construction, and labor cost. The team connected the bridge with wheelchair-accessible ramps. Ramp landings and handrails were also added to provide greater mobility to wheelchair users. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) standards informed the design of the ramps, 190-foot bridge deck, girder and column selection, and pile foundation. The maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans were informed by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). AutoCAD software was used to produce plan, profile, erosion and sediment control, MOT, and sub/superstructures sheets that outline the design and construction procedure for the bridge. An accompanying construction schedule and total project cost estimate was also supplied.
My STS report hones in on the implementation of sustainable redevelopment; I address how planners, government administrations, and corporations harm working-class, minority communities via the poorly managed deconstruction of nonrenewable steel mills. I use Pittsburgh as a case study to demonstrate how an unjust transition can unequally harm low-income, African American neighborhoods. The social construction of technology (SCOT) framework was utilized to highlight the roles that developers, companies, and policymakers play in the outcomes of those communities. I found that the parties responsible for development do not offer accessible alternatives to unsustainable infrastructure and exacerbate the damage done to minority populations by preexisting racialized infrastructure. When abandoned manufacturing sites are reutilized by the city of Pittsburgh, they generally do not seek to improve the living conditions of residents in the surrounding area.
My technical paper adequately demonstrates how to implement safe and accessible infrastructure in difficult-to-build environments; unique pile foundation designs were used to prevent disruption to traffic through US-29 and reduce the overall cost of the project. The STS research paper illustrated that there is a gap in representation when it comes to infrastructure design – particularly when that development is undertaken to reach sustainability goals. These two reports work together to emphasize that affordable, safe, inclusive infrastructure is possible to create at a local scale. Future research will be necessary to determine if the same methods of development are applicable at the regional, national, or global scale, however.
I would like to thank my Capstone groupmates Tal Gamburg, Qixiang Gao, Grace Perry, and Logan Stapleton for their contributions to our Capstone. Thank you William Stowe and Peter Brennan for your guidance throughout the design phase of our pedestrian bridge project. Thanks to Professor Osman Ozbulut, Ph.D. for his insight while our team developed our technical report. I would also like to thank Professor Caitlin Wylie, Ph.D. for her guidance during the writing process for my STS research paper.
Notes
School of Engineering and Applied Science
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Technical Advisors: Peter Brennan, Osman Ozbulut, Ph.D., William Stowe
STS Advisor: Caitlin Wylie, Ph.D.
Technical Team Members: Tal Gamburg, Qixiang Gao, Grace Perry, Logan Stapleton
