The Inland Wetland and Watercourses Agency approved an application by the Public Works Department to replace the passage that Miner Brook takes under Westlake Drive.
Miner currently flows through 3 corrugated metal pipes which were installed in the early 1970s. Deputy Director of Public Works, Bob Dobmeier (left in picture) told the Commissioners that the state inspectors had determined that these pipes needed to be replaced because of age, decay, and concern that they would no longer be able to handle heavy vehicle traffic. Public Works proposes to replace them with an 8 feet tall, 14 feet wide cement "box culvert".
Dobmeier said that the City has received a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection, and is awaiting one from the Army Corps of Engineers. The project is anticipated to cost $1.8M, 80% of which will be funded by the states "Local Bridges" program.
Don Wurst (right in picture), project manager for the firm hired by the city to engineer and design the project, said that the project would take about 10 months to complete, and the scheduling would be determined by the Corps of Engineers. Dobmeier anticipated that construction would begin in the summer of 2011. During construction, the vehicle flow on Westlake Drive will be reduced to 1 lane, with a traffic light to regulate it. Water flow in Miner Brook will be regulated by a cofferdam.
Other Agency Matters
The commissioners scheduled two other projects in Westfield to be considered at their June 2nd meeting. They will hold a public hearing on the City's plans to lay over a mile of water pipes in Country Club Road, from the Higby Road intersection to I91. They will also consider the City's plans to install storm drains on Atkins Street.
The commissioners heard from Inland Wetlands and Zoning enforcement officer Bruce Driska about recurrent flooding on private property on Lorraine Terrace, which is 1 block east of the intersection of Ballfall and Route 66. Driska said that because of silting in a stream, the storm runoff was threatening to erode a shed and a swimming pool, and the homeowners have asked the city to address the issue. He said that because these properties abut the Middlefield town line, the project should be a joint one between Middlefield and Middletown.
Commissioner David Pritchard asked Driska why in this case the drainage issues were the responsibility of the city and not the private landowner. Driska responded that much of the water was runoff from city-owned property, the street.
1 comment:
Atkins street definitly needs drainage, but at the time of construction rebuilding of Atkins Street between Country Club and Bradley should be done. This road is over 25 years old, and been poorly maintained. Does the City of Middletown know this area is part of Middletown?
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