Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc. (DBF), is the civil engineer of record for the 105,262 SF, 415-student, special needs school located in Sussex County, Delaware. The consortium serves Sussex County’s special needs children from pre-K through 18 years old. The campus will be home to a life skills building which will provide housing for students aged 18-21.

DBF was responsible for preparing the site plan in consultation with the lead architecture firm. The civil design team collaborated with other team members in preparing a site plan for the proposed school. The design included parking lot layout, building placements, utility locations, grading, stormwater management, landscaping and active amenities to be used by the students. The existing signal was redesigned to include the new access to the proposed elementary school.

The site includes two large playgrounds with designs based on age and abilities. The entrance design includes auxiliary lanes as required by the Delaware Department of Transportation. The internal design will include traffic flow for buses, parental drop off, faculty and passenger mobility. The stormwater design includes the use of swales, infiltration ponds and wet extended detention ponds.

The project was designed to meet the requirements of Tidewater Utilities for water, Sussex County engineering for sewer, the Division of Health and Social Services for water main construction and the Department of Natural Resources for the wastewater construction permit and sediment and stormwater management.