Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 2, 1995 TAG: 9509050029
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
During some intense rainstorms in July and August, town Public Works Director Mike Jenkins got close to 100 calls from residents complaining about washed-out driveways and other erosion problems.
"Let's face it, there's no way we're going to be able to go out here and design a system that'll handle two inches of rain in 40 minutes," Jenkins told the town's Operations Committee Friday morning. But problems from ordinary rain have been aggravated by people encroaching on town rights-of-way and interfering with existing drainage facilities.
To cure those problems, the town would have to install drainage culverts at 1,415 driveways, 1,618 parking areas and 159 steps where drainage flow is blocked or diverted.
"This is not going to be a short-term project," Jenkins said. In fact, he said, even if money were available for the work, town crews would have to build four culverts every day for the next three years to complete it.
One way to head off continuing culvert problems might be to require permits for people to build driveways over town right-of-way at the edge of their properties. The town could make sure those driveways have a culvert allowing water to pass beneath them along normal drainage paths.
As for storm drainage problems left over from the past, it will cost an estimated $470,224 to fix them. Financing could come from any number of ways, including the sale of bonds.
Town officials find it difficult to explain to citizens why they can't simply fix each problem as it occurs.
"You can't just take the water off that one individual's property. You're just moving it down to the next-door neighbor," said Assistant Town Manager Rob Lyons.
"Once you pick up drainage water at a location, you've got to carry it to a disposal point," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said another problem with the drainage system has been lack of maintenance over the years. The corrections plan will be to address the worst drainage problem areas first, he said.
The town could require property owners to remove blockages to drainage fields, but no mass order to citizens is likely.
"We want to work through these problems," said Town Manager Tom Combiths.
The committee also learned that the Federal Railroad Administration is considering a requirement that trains sound their horns at all railroad crossings. It would be implemented within two years and override local ordinances by towns like Pulaski banning horns during certain times of the day or night.
Exemptions from the may be granted where supplementary safety equipment is in place. But that equipment is expensive.
by CNB