When selected to carry out a playground rehabilitation, VHB identified contaminated soil on the school grounds, and promptly engaged with Montpelier Union Elementary School (MUES) and state regulators to develop a plan to protect the public’s safety. We completed a full characterization of the soil around the MUES grounds and traced the contamination to a previous fire at the site and poor-quality fill that had been imported. With the nature and extent of the contaminated soil identified, VHB turned its focus on developing a plan to manage contaminated and noncontaminated soil at the project site.
VHB’s project team carefully choreographed each step of the rehabilitation and remediation plan, keeping in mind the education of concerned community members as well as constraints such as budget, schedule, and regulations. By utilizing materials that were already built into the project design, the team was able to mitigate the risks of exposure to make the playground safe while minimizing impacts to schedule and budget. VHB’s attentiveness during the site investigation and transparency with project stakeholders allowed us to meet all project milestones while staying under budget, providing a safe space for the MUES community.
