Storm Drain Collapse Repair:

On Monday, 8.18.08, DeWitt City Council hired Cook Bros. Excavating Inc. of Portland to repair the storm water drain outfall that collapsed into the Looking Glass River on July 11th. The vote was unanimous to accept Cook Bros' low bid of $30,400.00, based on an emergency repair plan prepared by civil engineering firm C2AE of Lansing. City Administrator Brian Vick told council that of the four bids, the high bid was in the $75K range and joked that it nearly gave him a heart attack. Vick said Cook's proposal indicated that the fix would be completed on or before Sept 15, 2008.

C2AE's civil engineer Gary Arnold said the repair would include a rock-lined base from the river bed to the flood line, and a fiberous material called Geoweb,
http://www.reynoldspkg.com/alcoa-geo/en/solutions/Geoweb_specifications.asp a large egg crate-like webbing material, which is stretched and staked over the repaired and compacted area, filled with topsoil, and planted with grasses and plants to hold the steep, nearly 30' tall "high bank". The contract also calls for the removal of the many tons of soils that collapsed into the river, and Arnold said that would be accomplished with a backhoe.

The MDEQ permit to review / approve / suggest changes to the repair plans is in the works, but facing the possibility for further landslides into the river, and with fall rains approaching, the City may proceed without the permit if necessary. Luckily the area has not seen any additional sustained, heavy rains since those that no doubt contributed to the collapse five weeks ago. A right-of-way agreement has been drafted for the property owners that would give the city the right to move a utility shed to make room for the construction equipment in the family's yard at the corner of Washington and Market streets. The outfall collapsed took out the highbank installation on the north side of the river, and is visible from the south side of the river, from the bituminous walkway halfway between Riverside Park and RiverTrail Parks, which are accessible on S. Bridge Street and E. Dill Drive respectively.

The photos below are of the site as of 8.14.08, with a temporary flex tubing put in place by City DPS crews.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Bob Bishop
FLG Communications Dir.