One of my favorite projects, Calvary Chapel Chester Springs, just wrapped up the critical stage phase of construction. Located on Dowlin Forge Road in Exton, Calvary Chapel offers many ministries for kids and adults and needed extra space to expand their Sunday School. It was evident the additional parking spaces and building additions would help as soon as we could complete them.

This project consists of 474 parking spaces, 2 building additions, 3 infiltration beds and 2 crosswalks to help members of the church access the shopping centers across the street. Due to the amount of impervious that is being proposed on this project, 3 large infiltration beds were designed to support the drainage runoff coming from these improvements. Two (2) 150’ x 60’ x 4’ infiltration beds and another (1) 120’ x 55’ x 4’ infiltration bed were designed to go directly underneath the new 474 space parking lot expansion. This was the first time in my career working on infiltration beds this size, and I am glad to say those beds have finally been constructed.

Back in November, I was given the task of overseeing the construction of one of the infiltration beds as part of the critical stage of construction. For those of you who don’t know, the critical stage is the phase in construction during which the Best Management Practice (BMP) requirements must be built and overseen by the engineer or designee.

While I was out in the field on this rainy, cold day (and very grateful that I had remembered to leave a pair of rain boots and an umbrella in my trunk), I realized how satisfying it is to go from looking at a project two-dimensionally on a screen every day to actually seeing it come to life. Aside from the drenched plans and the effort to get on the site while construction vehicles were running around, performing this critical stage inspection made me appreciate what we do. Knowing that you’re the person responsible for placing a manhole at one location and an inlet at another is a full-circle moment.

In addition to growing an appreciation for seeing my work in real life, I’m grateful to be part of a project that gives back to the community. Providing those additional parking and building spaces will help Calvary Chapel thrive and continue to grow their presence.

So next time you’re in a parking lot, just think - there could possibly be a huge stormwater infiltration bed directly underneath you that an engineer spent many hours designing (and may have had to stand in the pouring rain to oversee the construction of it).  And maybe say a little prayer that it was done by the book.