Mammoth Cave National Park, Contract Management, Mammoth Cave, KY 42259

56 -- BUILDING MATERIALS FOR ELEVATED TRAILS IN A CAVE ENVIRONMENT POC John C. Beaver, Contracting Officer (502) 758-2251, ext. 26 WEB: National Park Service, http://www.nps.gov. E-MAIL: National Park Service, john_beaver@nps.gov. Mammoth Cave National Park is searching for elevated trail building materials that will be used for building new sections of the Tour Trail in the Historic Section of Mammoth Cave, beginning in October 1997. The minimum width will be eight feet, and these walkways will be contiguous with broader areas up to fifty feet across and of irregular shape that are designed for tour group gatherings. Total length of the trail to be constructed is approximately 1,300 feet. Though the trail is considered to be a permanent structure, it is important that the trail be both repairable and removable with minimal environmental impact. A walkway made of replaceable components such as a low (six inches above grade or lower) platform or boardwalk type structure with handrails is envisioned. The materials must be chemically inert, able to withstand cold temperatures, strong enough to support the weight of tour groups up to 120 persons, provide traction on moderate inclines even when wet, must be quiet under foot traffic, and available in earth tones of gray or brown. Annual visitation to this site is approximately 250,000 people. The two materials discussed so far are recycled plastic lumber and precast concrete, but any material that has the desired characteristics will be considered. Material shapes (e.g., hexagonal) that lend themselves to following curved passageways, allow for changes in trail width in a continuous manner, and that require minimal custom cutting for installation are desired. A material impregnated with abrasives such that the surface remains non-skid even with wear is required for safety reasons. Please mail your product literature to the Contracting Officer listed above. (0043)

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