The Gateway Arch tram system is a one-of-a-kind invention that incorporates components of both Ferris Wheels and elevators in its design. There is nothing else quite like it in the world – and it was invented in only two weeks by Richard Bowser.

It is in this engineering spirit that the Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest was created. The contest, held in association with Washington University McKelvey School of Engineering, challenges teams of high school students to create a solution for a real engineering problem that exists in the park. The winning team takes home the coveted Richard Bowser Trophy, which they keep until next year’s competition.

Nine teams from area high schools participated in the 7th Annual Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest, making this year’s competition the fiercest yet.  Each year students are presented with a different engineering challenge. This year’s challenge asked students to engineer a system for automatically adjusting the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch dock to the appropriate level as the river rises and falls.

Situated on the river beneath the shadow of the Gateway Arch, the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch have been cruising the Mississippi since 1910. The Riverboats offer daily sightseeing cruises, dinner cruises, private charters, and specialty cruises to tourists and locals.

The boats’ dock structure is 303 feet long and consists of 4 barges. Keeping the dock tethered to the levee are four electric winches, one hydroelectric winch, and five cables. There are also utility lines that must be moved as the dock position varies with the water levels.

With the river level fluctuating daily, the dock must be frequently adjusted, so the ramps are not in the water and the docks themselves do not become grounded. Currently, these adjustments are made by hand, a time-consuming process that requires the full crew. 

In September 2023, students participating in the contest toured the dock with a park ranger and members of the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch team, so they could see how the winches are used, measure the area, take photographs, receive blueprints, and have any initial questions answered. Using this information, the students produced an executive summary that included pictures, diagrams and other visual aids to communicate their design, as well as a budget for the project.

The competition final was held at Washington University’s McKelvey Engineering complex in Whitaker Hall on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Each of the nine teams presented an executive summary to a panel of six judges (all professional engineers). The teams were judged on both their executive summary content and presentation.  They were scored in categories ranging from innovative design, functionality, and ease of use to responsible budget and realistic possibility of the design.

According to Gateway Arch National Park, this year’s contest was fierce and the most competitive yet, with the first-place school winning the trophy by only half a point! Christian Brothers College High School placed first, with teams from St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (STL CAPS) taking second and third place. Both STL CAPS teams received the award for Best Executive Summary, as they remarkably tied with a 45.83 score out of 50 points.

The Parkway Spark! program also had two teams enter the competition. The Sparkles took home the award for Best Presentation after receiving a near-perfect presentation score of 49.33 out of 50. Student Ryder Risko of the Parkway Spark! River Tech team received the Charles Janson MVP Award.

The Taylor Tuleja McKelvey Award for Creativity and Ingenuity went to Kate Hulsen of St. Joseph’s Academy.

Other participating teams included Gateway Science Academy of St. Louis – High School, St. Louis University High School, and Gibault Catholic High School, the 2022 contest winner. 

In addition to the competition component, the contest final included a presentation from a professional engineer, a luncheon, and a guided tour of McKelvey School of Engineering for all contest participants and their families and friends in attendance – an excellent opportunity for students considering the engineering field.

For more information on this year’s contest visit gatewayarchengineeringcontest.com. To inquire about participating in the 8^th Annual Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest in 2024, contact Anthony Gilpin, at tony_gilpin@nps.gov.