Engineering Services Provided

Site Design & Planning

Our civil engineering team developed comprehensive site plans for the Gurley Lane student housing development, optimizing building placement, circulation patterns, parking layouts, and outdoor amenity spaces to create a functional and attractive living environment for Baylor University students. The site design balanced density requirements with quality-of-life considerations, ensuring adequate parking, pedestrian connectivity, and recreational areas.

Design Components:

• Existing conditions survey and analysis

• Proposed site layout and grading plans

• Dimension control plans for contractor coordination

• Building pad elevations and foundation support

• Vehicular circulation and parking design (70+ spaces required)

• Pedestrian walkways and accessibility features

• Outdoor amenity space planning

• Landscape coordination with architectural design

Erosion Control & Environmental Compliance

Given the site's proximity to residential neighborhoods and the importance of environmental stewardship in the Waco community, our team developed comprehensive erosion and sediment control strategies to protect adjacent properties and local waterways during construction. All erosion control measures were designed to comply with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations and City of Waco construction standards.

Erosion Control Measures:

• Temporary erosion control plan (SWPPP requirements)

• Silt fence and sediment barrier placement

• Construction entrance stabilization

• Phased grading approach to minimize exposed soil

• Permanent erosion control and landscaping

• TCEQ NOI (Notice of Intent) coordination

• Construction phase inspection protocols

Site Utilities Design

Merritt Engineering designed complete utility infrastructure to serve all seven buildings in the Gurley Lane student housing development, ensuring reliable water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, electrical, and communication services for up to 70 residents. Our utility design coordinated with existing City of Waco infrastructure while accommodating future expansion potential.

Utility Systems Designed:

• Water Distribution: Domestic water mains, fire hydrants, building service connections, pressure analysis

• Sanitary Sewer: Gravity sewer mains, building laterals, manhole structures, capacity calculations for peak student occupancy

• Storm Drainage: Catch basins, storm sewer pipes, outfall structures, detention/retention facilities

• Dry Utilities Coordination: Electrical service routing, fiber optic/cable TV pathways, gas line coordination

• Utility Conflict Resolution: Coordination with existing utilities including City of Waco and Atmos Energy

Drainage Studies & Stormwater Management

Recognizing the critical importance of proper stormwater management in Waco's flood-prone areas, our civil engineering team conducted extensive hydrologic and hydraulic analyses to ensure the Gurley Lane Development would not adversely impact surrounding properties or overtax municipal drainage infrastructure.

Pre-Development Drainage Analysis:

• Existing watershed delineation and flow patterns

• Pre-development runoff calculations

• Identification of existing drainage issues

• Downstream receiving system capacity evaluation

• Historic flooding assessment

Post-Development Drainage Design:

• Post-development runoff modeling (accounting for increased impervious surface)

• Stormwater detention/retention facility design

• Water quality best management practices (BMPs)

• On-site drainage conveyance system

• Compliance with City of Waco detention requirements

• Design storm analysis (2-year, 10-year, 25-year, 100-year events)

Downstream Stormwater Impact Analysis

Our team conducted a comprehensive downstream analysis to evaluate how the proposed student housing development would affect existing drainage systems and neighboring properties. This analysis ensured the project would be a responsible addition to the Gurley Lane neighborhood and South Waco community.

Analysis Components:

• Downstream drainage pathway mapping

• Existing system capacity assessment

• Cumulative runoff impact modeling

• Peak flow attenuation design

• Velocity control measures

• Erosion potential evaluation

Comprehensive Flood Study

Given Waco's history with flood events and the protection of student residents being paramount, Merritt Engineering coordinated with reknown floodplain professionals to perform a detailed flood study to assess potential inundation risks and ensure the development would be resilient against flood hazards.

Flood Study Elements:

• FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) review

• Floodplain determination and base flood elevation analysis

• 100-year and 500-year flood zone assessment

• Freeboard requirements for habitable structures

• Lowest floor elevation design above base flood elevation

• Floodproofing recommendations (if applicable)

• Flood insurance considerations for property owners/residents

• Coordination with City of Waco floodplain administrator