Posted on August 9, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Starke County Highway Department continues to find the right solution to fix a culvert collapse on 700 East between County Road 600 North and County Road 70 N.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the commissioners that the repair will be much bigger than anticipated.
“The soils are very poor, particularly about 26 or 27 feet below and that’s very bad,” said Ritzler. “We cannot put a box culvert or twin culverts there. You have to put pilings down about 50 or 60 feet at least. So, I recommend that we go with a bridge.”
Ritzler said highway department crews can do a temporary repair.
“We have a culvert at the garage that can temporarily be put in. It will be only one lane and it will not handle buses. It will not last more than a year.”
Ritzler commented that it was lucky that a highway worker found the issue a couple of months ago.
“That culvert did not look like it was bad at all. We’d inspected it during the last inspection and it was fine. That’s the problem with the loose soils. It could go at any time. We’re very fortunate that one our drivers found it. He was doing his regular routine work and he could see it from the high truck. He saw it just before he got there. If some kid at night would have been going 40 or 50 mph on that gravel road, he would have gone right into that collapsed culvert.”
A time frame for repairs wasn’t given. Ritzler explained that he will work with Surveyor Bill Crase and the Starke County Drainage Board members to install a temporary culvert and look into a long-term fix with a bridge.
Showing posts with label culvert collapse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culvert collapse. Show all posts
Friday, August 9, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Starke County Highway Department Assessing Culvert Collapse
Posted on July 3, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The culvert collapse on County Road 700 East between County Road 600 North and County Road 750 North in Starke County is still under assessment.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the Starke County Commissioners Monday night that he and County Surveyor Bill Crase are monitoring the site.
Mark Wilson from Jones, Petrie and Rafinski looked at the issue the day it occurred and delivered four recommendations for repair.
Ritzler said Wilson’s recommendation is a bridge replacement project.
“The pros on that are a long life span, it’s easy to maintain, and has the best bank stabilization,” said Ritzler. “The problems are it’s expensive, and the road would be closed for most of the fall school semester near Oregon-Davis and the Oregon-Davis buses use that route.”
The cost would be somewhere between $300,000 to $350,000.
Other types of repair include a modular bridge, aluminum box culvert and twin culverts. These are less expensive options, but Ritzler is going wait to make a decision.
“I’m going to wait until those estimates come in. I’m going to recommend we do that and then at the next meeting I’ll come and make a recommendation and we can go from there. How’s that?”
Commission President Charlie Chesak and Commission Bryan Cavendar replied, “Sounds good!”
For now, the road remains closed.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The culvert collapse on County Road 700 East between County Road 600 North and County Road 750 North in Starke County is still under assessment.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the Starke County Commissioners Monday night that he and County Surveyor Bill Crase are monitoring the site.
Mark Wilson from Jones, Petrie and Rafinski looked at the issue the day it occurred and delivered four recommendations for repair.
Ritzler said Wilson’s recommendation is a bridge replacement project.
“The pros on that are a long life span, it’s easy to maintain, and has the best bank stabilization,” said Ritzler. “The problems are it’s expensive, and the road would be closed for most of the fall school semester near Oregon-Davis and the Oregon-Davis buses use that route.”
The cost would be somewhere between $300,000 to $350,000.
Other types of repair include a modular bridge, aluminum box culvert and twin culverts. These are less expensive options, but Ritzler is going wait to make a decision.
“I’m going to wait until those estimates come in. I’m going to recommend we do that and then at the next meeting I’ll come and make a recommendation and we can go from there. How’s that?”
Commission President Charlie Chesak and Commission Bryan Cavendar replied, “Sounds good!”
For now, the road remains closed.
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