SCOPE

Foresite Group provided site and site structural design and permitting services for a new saw mill, access road, and double-row radial log crane on a 15.42-acre greenfield site within the West Fraser facility in Opelika, Alabama. The site was cleared, mass graded, and two new detention ponds were added. The biggest challenge our team overcame on this project was fitting 130,000sf of building and equipment area on a site that had 44ft of vertical fall. With the help of our structural team’s cast-in-place retaining wall designs and a 650lf/21ft tall segmental block retaining wall, we were able accomplish this. Another challenge with this site was creating a large enough storage area for the double-row radial log crane to meet West Fraser’s log inventory storage requirements. To do this, our team designed a bowl-shaped storage area that measured approximately 27ft deep from the crane platform and 455ft in diameter. Our team worked with the City of Opelika and West Fraser to design an internal access road to eliminate an existing City concern of trucks backing up and staging within the City’s right-of-way.

LOCATION

Opelika, Alabama