There have been a lot of questions lately about the materials we are planning to use. The backbone of the Boulder Valley Velodrome will be contstructed with Laminated Veneer Lumber. These beams are made of an engineered wood product, and are 1.5” thick x 16” wide X 24’ long. They are virtually identical, resist warping and twisting and allow us to build the track quicker and with more uniformity & consistency. Each beam is cut to a different angle to form the hyperbolic parabola that is the shape of the track. The LVL beams make building the track much easier and more precise.
Workers at the site of the Boulder Valley Velodrome, a 250-meter outdoor track under construction in Erie, poured concrete Thursday in the shape of a giant oval. Read More >>
On Friday, April 13th, we poured cement using the largest cement pumper available. It is able to span a distance of 180 ft., so the truck never had to move from one spot. The arm’s movement is actuated by a wireless remote control, so the operator can work it from anywhere on the site. The efficiency of this machine is remarkable. We poured 25 yards of cement in less than two hours. It certainly beat using fifteen guys with wheelbarrows!
Today we are excited to update the cycling community on the progress of the Boulder Valley Velodrome.
Excavation for the clubhouse, infield bunker (a bike storage depot) and access tunnels is complete and we are ready to begin construction of their footers and foundations. The storage depot is a new feature to our velodrome design. At 4,800 sqft, the depot is a sunken building that houses changing rooms and bike storage. The flat roof will protrude 22” above the infield, creating a 4,800 sqft. platform that will not obscure the spectators’ sight lines. The basement-like structure will have 8′ ceilings, and the garden level entrance is wheelchair accessible. Four restrooms will flank the structure for convenience access.
Following the completion of our infield, we will begin building the track. The 250 meter track will be similar to the Olympic venues in Beijing, Sydney, and London with 42 degree banked turns and 12 degree straights. Construction will be guided by track designer and builder, Peter Junek. The track surface is a proprietary plywood product that is one inch thick and comes in 4×12 ft. sheets, thereby minimizing the number of seams. The surface will be painted with a special coating which protects the surface and gives the track just the right amount of grip.
These photos are from a velodrome in Puerto Rico, built in 2010 by Peter Junek. He will be using the same design and materials to build our track in Erie. The plywood is a proprietary product that comes in sheets that measure 4′x12′, and are one inch thick. By using such large sheets, there are fewer seams on the track. The Boulder Valley Velodrome will look almost exactly like this one.
