Randolph County Rest Area:
A Welcome Retreat

By Jolynn Bennett, Pavestone, LLC

The water feature design includes random pavers that are raised 1/4?EUR??,,????'?? to 1/2?EUR??,,????'?? above the others, deflecting the natural movement of the water and offering an understated ?EUR??,,????'??white noise?EUR??,,????'?? to the water feature.
Photos: PavestonE, LLC

Wanted: A restful interlude for a long road trip. A time to stretch, eat, unwind, let the dogs and kids take a few laps to disperse some energy. An educational opportunity to learn about the regional interests and local topography. A safe spot for vehicles and pedestrians to interact. An environmentally thoughtful space that maintains its functionality and beauty for many years. Article: These needs of North Carolina highway travelers have been met with the construction of two new rest area facilities along Southbound and Northbound I-73/74 south of Seagrove, North Carolina. The project was a coordinated effort of the NC Department of Transportation?EUR??,,????'???s Roadside Environmental Unit office along with the assistance of NCDOT roadway planners, engineers, and local construction offices who administered the project?EUR??,,????'???s construction.

Adirondack pavers were used at varying points along the walkways, courtyards, and exterior foyers. The color and texture of the paver was defined to compliment the architecture and regional character.

Site Challenges
Bob Kopetsky RLA, Landscape Architect/ Section Supervisor within the NCDOT Roadside Environmental Unit, describes the design and construction challenges. ?EUR??,,????'??The two sites, on opposite sides of the interstate, couldn?EUR??,,????'???t have been any more different. The southbound site (60 acres) was elevated up to 70 feet above grade from the road elevation and the northbound site (50 acres), although only slightly elevated from the road, had unusual remnant combination of granite outcroppings and large organic deposits, leftover from being a debris site from past hurricane damage. All these had to be considered and then dealt with during the process of construction.?EUR??,,????'??

Stormwater runoff from the structure?EUR??,,????'???s green roof is collected and stored in a buried cistern. This water is used in the water feature, which has been designed to provide an additional element of aeration for the collected water, minimizing stagnation.

Hardscape Harmony
The site design, material durability, regional/rural culture/characteristics and the defined building architecture were considerations in selecting appropriate materials for walkways and the water feature. Kopetsky notes, ?EUR??,,????'??The Pavestone Adirondack pavers in Old Town Blend were used at varying points along the walkways, courtyards, and exterior foyers. The use of the paver was to subtly highlight intersecting points or areas of interest throughout the site. They were used as a ?EUR??,,????'??placemat?EUR??,,????'??? of entry to the site. The color and texture of the paver was defined to compliment the architecture and regional character. We have had experience in using textured concrete, but we find that pavers offer greater variations of texture, color, and design while offering durability and simplifying future maintenance since we have a great number of subsurface utilities and drainage that often need unplanned accessibility. The ease of paver installation also minimizes our need for construction oversight and guarantees a good finished product.?EUR??,,????'??

?EUR??,,????'??The radial use of the paver enforced the circular pattern and offers further interest. In the design, random pavers were raised ??????? inch to ????? inch above the others, deflecting the natural movement of the water and offering a understated ?EUR??,,????'??white noise?EUR??,,????'??? to the water feature,?EUR??,,????'?? Kopetsky said.

The Green Factor
The green effort is evident in the use of an accessible ?EUR??,,????'??green roof?EUR??,,????'??? on the southbound center structure and systems on both sides to collect roof stormwater runoff that in turn is used for landscape irrigation. The collected water stored in a buried cistern is used in the water feature, providing an additional element of aeration, minimizing stagnation.