COLD SPRING – A West Point engineering instructor and his college-aged daughter stepped in to construct a new trail bridge at Fahnestock State Park after the cadet students who designed it were forced to cut the on-campus school year short due to COVID-19.
For the third year in a row, the Open Space Institute (OSI) partnered with cadets from the United Stated Military Academy at West Point and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to replace a trail bridge on the School Mountain Road trail area of Fahnestock State Park.
Design and construction of the bridges is one type of capstone project for civil engineering cadets at USMA; however, the construction phase for this year’s Fahnestock bridge project was put on hold due to COVID-19.
While the engineering students designed the bridge and prefabricated several of its pieces, they were unable to construct it before being sent home in the spring.
After the semester ended, the course instructor, Colonel Brad Wambeke, stepped in to finish the project with help from his daughter Emilie Wambeke.
Occasionally accompanied by other members of their family, Colonel Wambeke and Emilie constructed the 24-foot-long bridge, which can carry more than 15 tons. The duo spent 10, 12-hours a day on construction and finished the project in a week and a half.
“The work started by the cadets, and finished by Colonel Wambeke, his daughter Emilie, and their family is a testament to the love and community support that keeps this park thriving,” said Kim Elliman, OSI’s president and CEO. “OSI has worked to protect and improve Fahnestock State Park for more than 20 years and we are proud to support the work of others who are providing the park with an infusion of energy and much-needed repairs.”
