Thursday, March 28, 2024

Pinegrass subdivision causing issues for future Pine Street project

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In order to move ahead with the Pinegrass subdivision project off Pine Street, city officials allowed them to proceed only if they bring the sidewalk, pathway and road up to the standards of the future plans for Pine Street. 

Just eyeballing, it really looks pretty nice, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Steve Marsh, an engineer with TD&H Engineering in Spokane, spoke to the council at the Sept. 12 study session. 

“Some of the issues we are dealing with, Pinegrass, when they did the improvements, although close with their construction, weren’t exactly perfect,” Marsh said. “We have some issues we need to deal with here.”

Marsh said they would have liked them to set the curb and gutter lower. Right now, he said there is no real slope across the road so water does not drain off well. It’s flat, if not coming back toward the center line, he said. 

Mayor Cheri Kelley Farivar asked how did that occur. Marsh said he didn’t know. 

“We just reviewed the plans. We did a thorough review of survey after the fact. When we compared the plans, they didn’t match. The contractor didn’t exactly build to the plans either,” Marsh said. “Somewhere along the time of plan review to the final, it was just off. It’s not by much, but it is enough to make a difference.”

Councilman Elmer Larsen said it might have been an attempt to blend with the existing roadway, rather than have a raised surface there. There are solutions to all of this, Marsh said. Farivar asked, if this is their error, why is the city accommodating rather than making the error be corrected. 

Marsh said it would cost, but the decision is up to the council. 

“It would cost a significant amount of money to correct the error. You would need to tear out the curb and gutter all along that side, lower it. But there is a cheaper solution,” Marsh said. 

The solution could be much like what was done at Ski Hill, Marsh said, a taper-grind along the edge. That makes a cross slope moving off the road. 

“We’ll build the centerline up a little higher. This is not that dramatic. We would need to get temporary construction easements from the neighbors, which would happen simultaneously while we’re getting right-of-way,” Marsh said. 

Neighbors will be able to plant some grass, Marsh said. 

“It’s going to be a little higher than their existing ground. They’ll be able to put grass on it. It is not a retaining wall. They won’t notice it specifically. It should blend in over time,” Marsh said. “While this doesn’t look perfect, it is not that bad. We do a taper grind, then pave over the top of it. That will fix the issue.”

Marsh said a reconstruction of the road would cost $1.5 million while this fix would cost $35,000.  

The second issue, he said, is from Cascade toward Central. It involves the water flowing off the road. He said you typically want your water to flow along the road and into the swale. 

“From here down to those streets, the curb line is literally flat. The fix is to that very expensive. You have to tear out the curb and gutter to make it work. It was a pretty wet winter with lots of snow. Did anyone notice any ponding along that curb line?,” Marsh said. 

Pine Street resident Craig Hess said there were multiple spots of standing water. 

“They have curb drops every 50-feet through there, which is very fortunate, because the water that does get to that area ends up falling off. We would be in serious trouble if they put a catch basin at one intersection, then tried to chase the water for 300 feet down there,” Marsh said. “It’s a question for the council. We can live with it. There will be a little bit of ponding.”

Ponding can be a real issue because of the freeze-thaw, freeze-thaw in Leavenworth, Farivar said. 

“I’m not an engineer. I don’t understand it, but if it is wrong, seems to me like the contractor needs to make it right. That is my personal opinion. Maybe we need more information,” Farivar said. 

Councilwoman Mia Bretz said she doesn’t know the cost difference. 

“It wouldn’t be our money because the contractor is bonded to do the correct thing,” Farivar said. 

Public Works Director, Herb Amick, asked if Marsh asked Mike Deason what he saw in there. Deason is the city inspector. Marson said he would talk to Deason. 

“We probably need quite a bit more information,” Farivar said. 

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.

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