Oh no!-Not the BIKE PATH!
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
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Printed Date: Oct 31 2024 at 7:58pm
Topic: Oh no!-Not the BIKE PATH!
Posted By: VietVet
Subject: Oh no!-Not the BIKE PATH!
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 7:12am
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From today's Journal...
30-foot-wide sinkhole develops above sewer pipe along bike path MIDDLETOWN — The city will spend about $265,000 to fix a 30-foot-wide sinkhole off of Sixth Avenue. City Council passed emergency legislation Tuesday to appropriate the money from the sewer capital fund to repair the large hole, which is located along a grassy edge of the bike path. The sinkhole is about 15 feet deep and formed because of holes in the top of a corrugated sewer interceptor pipe, according to Public Works Director Dave Duritsch $265,000 !!!! to fix a hole 15 foot deep and replace some pipe? One bidder- SK Construction, who seems to get most of the work from the city. Some people on council/city building connected with SK somehow gettin' a little something back perhaps? Emergency legislation used here again. They found the money quickly on this, but can't seem to find money for the vault while looking for years. Probably a "public safety" thing on the hole fixin'. Yeah, that's it. Many of Middletown’s sewer and water pipes are aging and Duritsch said it is difficult to assess their condition because they are underground. Regarding funding to repair roads, Duritsch said there is little money available to be proactive with pipe replacements. “This is a common issue nationwide to not have the capital to replace aging infrastructure,” he said. But Dave......the city has had 30+ years to make available funds for the aging infrastructure. You've used the money on everything OTHER THAN the aging infra. Did you and others before you think the pipes would last forever? Councilman Josh Laubach said the city needs to map out plans to set aside money to make infrastructure repairs, and he hopes to figure out ways to allocate more money for roads and sewers in 2012. Good idea Josh. Unfortunately only about 30 years too late. Get rid of the pet projects wanted by certain city officials and start placing that money into the roads/sewer funds. Tell Carolus to put the money taken in the 80's, back into the roads fund. Why hasn't this been done yet? This potentially could be a really big issue down the road,” he said. No, it's already a big issue now......not "down the road". |
Replies:
Posted By: John Beagle
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 8:04am
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I thought that seemed high. And only one bidder? Are you sure? If so, that really concerns me.
----Thought Bubble------- Why doesn't my business ever get deals like that. I'm sure we could have saved the city money with our PC maintenance, web and Security Camera services. Maybe someone down there doesn't like our company because of this website. I would hate to think our opportunities went to only one bidder. ----End------------------ ------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 9:12am
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2 bidders Mr.B
$265,000 and $275,000 with possiblilities of further complications(mo money!)
The thing that struck me was the statement that "since there was 1.3 mill $$ in the sewer fund, property owners would not be assessed".
What property owners would have been assessed for damage to a bike path built on top of well-known aged sewer pipes? Do citizens own the property along the river including the bike path? Wouldn't these lands have been taken by eminent domain?
And a Yankee Rd. project gets put off for a year in order to fund repairs to a little-used bike path(oh yeah--it is close to the PRISM district!). What if the bike path/swer project costs seriously escalate? Other city repair/maintenence projects get "mothballed"?
Mr.B--I doubt the city will throw any bizness yer way unless it is donated--in your case, that would probably be refused.
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Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 9:29am
A $10,000 difference between two sealed bids ? 
You would think they could have at least made the bidding more believable & convincing,gees.
I'm just thankful there were no accidents or loss of life,traffic has been lite on the bicycle expressway lately.Hopefully upon repair they will get the double yellow lines painted and mark the shoulders.I've also seen a lack of signs on the expressway,this needs to be seriously addressed.And there are no pull-off's in case of break down or flat tires,this is dangerous !
------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 10:52am
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Spider: I believe that Dave D, Missy G, and Mayor Lawrence P. Mulligan, Jr. hemmed and hawed that fund all the way up to $2.6 million (and rising) before the mayor choked and changed the subject.
Hermes: They have no way of knowing, of course (since no one really uses it), but their precious bike path was virtually impassible near Germantown Road as recently as last Friday evening due to driftwood and other debris blocking the way as far as the eye could see. (Doesn't take much of a rise in the river level to flood the darn thing.) ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 1:09pm
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Good point Mike,a beware of flooding sign should be put up to warn peddlers of possible impending danger.Just as you mention "debris on the path" I think a crew should be assigned to our section of the path to monitor daily any debris,flooding or changes which might affect safety to any peddlers passing through.I'm sure this is nothing more than an oversight by the city and hopefully it will be brought to their attention and corrected as soon as possible.Perhaps a bicycle patrol by the city police would be most helpful as the path passes through some the less desirable parts of the city and to ensure the safety of peddlers.
------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 1:28pm
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As someone who walks the bike path every decent weather day, I can attest to the paths use. Obviously, when there's been a flood, the bike path needs cleared and in places repaired. I believe the point for putting it there was for it to be of most use with the least cost. Being isolated makes it safer to a degree. On a related topic, as I walked the very same path by the levy, a reporter from the Ohio News Network was coming up the path from 6th St. He asked me about the sinkhole and if I would appear in an interview.
so, in a bit of self-promotion: Watch my groundbreaking interview concerning "The Sinkhole that Ate the Bikepath" on the Ohio News Network tonight at 4PM (or whenever they decide to broadcast it, if they do).
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Posted By: rem 1187
Date Posted: Mar 17 2011 at 10:15pm
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Who puts asphalt in a river bottom? Sorry,flood plane with a so called division of the state allowing it to happen? Some hard to see waterfowl on the river in the last few weeks Barrows Golden Eye, Greater Scaup priceless. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 18 2011 at 5:22am
Umm... we do??? What the heck...It's only taxpayers' money!!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
rem 1187 wrote:
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 18 2011 at 5:36am
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There's something about this sinkhole?!?!?!
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/30-foot-wide-sinkhole-develops-above-sewer-pipe-along-bike-path-1110056.html">  ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: rem 1187
Date Posted: Mar 18 2011 at 6:45am
| Sorry I forgot myself, it's the same group of people who are clueless it would seem to how powerful water can be and how "dirty" a river is in high pool. Thought they would have learned after attempting to install a LAKE in the middle of a flowing river. Mike this spot from what I have been told has had problems before there is a bend in the river which is causing that part of the bank to be eaten away. Also there has been a Bald eagle working the river from Franklin down to the trenton bridge. Taking advantge or crippled birds from this season. |
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Mar 18 2011 at 9:44am
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What is the mound of dirt from in that picture ?
------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 18 2011 at 10:26am
| Hermes- that mound of dirt in the background is just that: a mound of dirt. Actually, it looks like shredded trees and other debris that has been collected when the river floods. The city or conservancy district must collect the debris and then chip it and put it in this pile. Don't know whether it has a use or not; my curiosity is: did this debris pile contribute to the sewer problem? |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 22 2011 at 10:41am
| Thought I'd provide an update: work is progressing on replacing the 1000 ft of sewer pipe. I have a concern: what happens if we get more rain and the river rises enough to flood this area again? If that happens, they'll be chasing those replacement pipes all the way to Hamilton!!! |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 22 2011 at 6:01pm
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TonyB, I think that you said you walk the bike path frequently. Can you help me to understand something, please??? What is the square, grayish-looking object in the picture that can be seen beyond the sink hole, just to the left of the bike path??? ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 22 2011 at 6:53pm
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Mike,
That is actually a round, concrete sewer. That is the beginning spot for the replacement. The sewer behind where the pic is taken is 1000 ft down the side of the bike path. When you look at the pic, remember that the golf course is over the bank to your right and about 150 ft from that sewer you see in the pic is some kind of building(?), pumping station (?), or whatever it is there. It would be located in the upper right hand portion of the pic, if you could actually see through the ground. Not being a civil engineer, I'm really out of my depth in terms of the what and why there.
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Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Mar 22 2011 at 7:16pm
SK is installing the 12" bypass line and trash pump.
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 23 2011 at 6:27am
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Tony, Thank you! It appeared to be a pre-cast manhole segment, or something of that sort, with some sewer pipe stockpiled behind it. My old eye balls could not be certain, especially with the picture being such a distant shot. What piqued my curiosity was that City Council approved the contract for the repairs on the evening of 3/15, and that picture could have been taken no later than the afternoon of 3/16. Quite a speedy mobilization, and S-K just happened to have the proper materials on hand??? You mentioned earlier that the stockpile next to the sink hole was wood chips. From the picture, it looked like a stockpile of excavated material. I’m glad that it wasn’t. It would’ve been highly unusual for a sink hole to stockpile its own spoils right next to itself. It would’ve been a story worthy of “Ripley’s”!!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 23 2011 at 11:56am
| Mike, it actually took S-K til Monday to hve the pipes unloaded, so it took about 4 days with two of them the weekend. Haven't walked by yet today but will soon. I'll deliver a full report. |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 23 2011 at 12:34pm
| Just got back from my walk; work progressing. They are pumpingor flushing the old line at the moment. No digging yet, but I'm not really surprised. The ground is still pretty wet so I'd imagine they'd try and let it dry a little befor digging. |
Posted By: TonyB
Date Posted: Mar 31 2011 at 10:32pm
| An update on the work being done along the bike path. Looks to me they have laid about 400 to 500 ft of the new pipe. I'm impressed that the work seems to be moving along quickly. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 6:29am
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Well.....now we have additional damage to the bike path around 4th St. according to a recent Journal story. No money to take care of this unforseen problem either. $740,000 thrown down the toilet for repairs with more needed now. Infrastructure deterioration....imagine that. Kinda goes along with what we all have been saying for a long time.....fix the streets and infrastructure first. It is the basic, primary need for the community.
Recall, this bike path money could have been spent on energy saving items for the city's buildings......saving the taxpayer and the city some money. Instead, looks like we have a money drain on the bike path choice where the money was actually spent. It appears that the old path, you know, the one that less than 5% of the city population uses, is becoming another financial black hole for the city leaders. Another poor choice in the use of our money big kahunas. 
It would appear that anything the city leaders decide upon and try to execute, turns into a disaster. (Lake Middletown, Bicentennial Commons, downtown redevelopment including the City Center Mall, and, yet to be seen, Cincinnati State or the PAC) Is there anyone on this council or in the city building that is competent? Will we ever see a success story from this group? |
Posted By: ground swat
Date Posted: Jun 06 2011 at 6:17pm
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My concern is with the safety of the levy, alot of this ground on the flood plan is gravel, under mining can occur and the work needs to be done correctly unlike the resurfacing that was done last fall on several streets that they(city) allowed to happen. What happened to doing it right the first time from the top down? |