Universal Access Trail Around Bicentennial Pond

Kent + Frost was contracted by the Town of Mansfield to design a Universally Accessible Trail at Schoolhouse Brook Park. The goal of the project was to create a handicap accessible loop trail around the Bicentennial Pond and employ interpretive signage to highlight the pond’s ecology & historical significance.

The K+F team took steps to preserve and enhance existing trail areas where possible, paying careful attention to the ecological sensitivity of the site. The main trail loops around the pond and ascends over a dam at one end and crosses over a wooden bridge at the other. The trail was designed to USDA Forest Service Trail Accessibility Standards. A reconditioning of the bridge was proposed as well as two ADA compliant fishing piers to access the pond. Secondary loops will provide alternate access to and from the park entrance, as well as a neighboring middle school. A complete Wayfinding & Interpretive Signage Program was designed to increase usability and provide a greater understanding of the cultural history and ecology of the area.