Dozens of people attended a meeting where developers and engineers discussed the construction of a retaining wall and walkway area in Bellefonte.

Developers and residents say it's about time something is done to the area.

"We're dealing with an area of Bellefonte that's been plagued by some devastation," says Scott Russell, the Vice President of Buchart-Horn Engineering, the company responsible with designing the waterfront project. "It's been a long time in the making."

The plans show a higher wall and a walk way with room for developers to build behind. Residents say, even with the wall, they think the area is still likely to be impacted by flooding.

"The flood plane is the flood plane," says Mike Prendergast, a man who lives in Bellefonte. "It's going to be the same after they get through building it. It's going to be just a little more contained, that's all."

Designers with Buchart-Horn say their plan should increase visitors and business to the area while stabilizing the stream front.

That's something Josh Etters, who works at Gamble Mill, hopes will happen.

"I think it'll bring more people into the area," says Etters, a manager at the tavern. "Businesses and new attractions bring people in so it'll be great for the local economy."

Some residents weren't convinced about the project, citing concerns about the wall's lack of beauty.

Russell says the group hopes to begin construction on the new waterfront area by 2015.

Read the original:
Project Looking to Decrease Flood Risk and Boost Economy

Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

The retaining wall at the home of 1301 Hochelaga St. W. that runs along 13th Avenue Northwest has been in place for 20 years. It is seen on the afternoon of June 17, 2014.

A retaining wall thats been in place for 20 years, contrary to a city bylaw, is not going anywhere.

After receiving a complaint of the retaining wall extending to the curb at 1301 Hochelaga St. W., city administration checked with city engineers for buildings permits and with the parks and recreation department for boulevard approval. No such approval or permit was found.

As there is no city sidewalk at the location and its within the 1.5 meters of the curb, the bylaw enforcement office sent owner Ronald Pohl a letter instructing him to remove the structure. A city report also said the structure prevents the passenger door of vehicles legally parking on 13th Avenue Northwest from opening.

Pohl appealed that letter at executive committee at Mondays meeting.

Why am I here? he said at the meeting. Ive had this retaining wall on the boulevard for the last 20 years. Ive never had a problem.

However, Coun. Candis Kirkpatrick said she finds it similar to the issue of the fence at Grace Street and 10th Avenue Northwest that was contravening the bylaw last fall. Council voted to uphold the city order and have the family make the appropriate corrections, which have been made.

I have difficulty disconnecting the two The bylaw is in place for a reason, said Kirkpatrick. I think that if we do allow this to stay as it is, we are definitely setting a precedent in this particular case and would have difficulty arguing someone else to do the same.

But Coun. Brian Swanson said he could remember what the yard looked like before the retaining wall was put in place.

Here is the original post:
Retaining wall contravening bylaw allowed to remain

Published: 9:30 AM - 06/10/14

MAYBROOK - The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Halmar International for two serious workplace safety violations in the Dec. 2 collapse of a retaining wall that killed two workers and injured a third.

The collapse happened Dec. 2 at a three-acre construction site owned by Halmar off Homestead Avenue in Maybrook. A crew was pouring concrete for a mockup of an aqueduct project the company was working on for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

One citation said the formwork for the retaining wall failed to support the loads applied to it during the concrete pour due to the absence of three diagonal braces. The other citation was for not having drawings of the formwork present at the construction site.

One worker, Timothy Lang, 53, of Saugerties, was pronounced dead at the scene. A second worker, Scott Winkler, 50, of Monroe, was taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla and died two weeks later. Rafael Zakota, 37, of Glendale in Queens, was injured but survived.

OSHA has proposed that Halmar pay a $7,000 fine for each of the violations. OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said the fine is based on the classification of the violations and does not take into account whether any deaths or injuries occurred.

Halmar principal Chris Larson confirmed Monday that the company received the preliminary findings from OSHA about a week ago, but has not yet had a chance to meet with OSHA or determined how to respond.

Halmar has until June 20 to decide whether to accept the violations, show they have been abated and pay the fine, or contest the findings before an independent OSHA review commission.

Michael Randall

Excerpt from:
OSHA cites Halmar for two serious violations in fatal Maybrook retaining wall colllapse

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) Heavy rain and flooding has cause problems all across the state this week, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is no exception.

Officials at the airport said a retaining wall collapsed just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday along the center divider on the way into Terminal 1. Traffic has been reduced to one lane as work crews attempt to clean up the mess.

Authorities said the collapse is likely due to a mudslide-type event as a result of the heavy rain that hit the area early Thursday morning. Airport officials said that due to the weather, the airport is experiencing 15 to 30-minute delays.

Officials said parts of the short-term parking area were under six inches of water at one point early Thursday. A section of post road was also closed for a short time Thursday morning due to flooding.

Link:
Retaining Wall Collapses At MSP Airport, Delays Expected

June 20, 2014 Updated Jun 20, 2014 at 8:14 PM CDT

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Construction work is starting on Skyline Parkway specifically in the Chester Bowl Park area to repair damage from the June 2012 flood.

The flood caused damage to the roadway, embankment, concrete and stone retaining walls. Work will begin on Wednesday, June 25.

Crews will start with roadway improvements and eventually reinforce a failing roadway slope; which all takes place in the eastern portions of Skyline Parkway.

You will be unable to access Skyline Parkway and Chester Bowl Park from the east side. This closure is expected to last until August 11, 2014. Due to this construction, access to Chester Bowl Park will be closed and is expected to remain closed into late fall 2014.

Once the eastern part of Skyline Parkway is reopened, then the west side into Chester Bowl Park will be closed until Nov. 10, 2014. This will allow for repairs to be made to the bridge over Chester Creek Park, the stone retaining wall and other road construction.

At least one lane to access Chester Bowl Park throughout this ordeal will remain open at all times. All of the driveways that are in the area of construction will not be closed off.

Ramona Marozas Rmarozas@kbjr.com Biography

The rest is here:
2012 flood repairs: Retaining wall, bridge and roadway projects

In an instant, one man's recent afternoon trip across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was transformed from monotonous drive to terrifying ordeal. The motorist lost control, and his pickup truck hit the left wall of the southbound span, careened across the lanes and struck the right wall before plummeting into the lake.

Christian Pate, 26, of LaPlace was lucky to survive the ordeal. Others haven't been so fortunate.

But the May 31 accident was similar to many of the other incidents in which vehicles have vaulted into the lake since 1995.

All 11 accidents took place on the Causeway's southbound span, whose concrete retaining walls stand 25 inches high from the roadway, some 6 inches lower than those on the newer northbound span.

Most involved inattentive drivers behind the wheel of large pickups or SUVs. And in most cases, the vehicle hit at least one wall before ricocheting across the span, climbing the opposite wall and flying over the side, authorities said.

Next month, members of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute will visit the 24-mile bridge to begin testing some of the design options they've come up with to improve the southbound span's retaining walls and prevent vehicles from vaulting into the lake.

Bridge officials have long fretted about the safety issue on the span, and the Causeway Commission voted last December to spend up to $100,000 to hire the institute.

Tests will be conducted on two basic designs that call for adding steel posts and railings atop the existing concrete walls.

One option features 21-inch tall steel posts and two steel railings that would be bolted atop the concrete wall and stand 46 inches above the roadway. Tests will be done on two varieties of this design, the difference being the thickness of the base plate.

The second design calls for steel posts and single rail that would increase the height of the existing barrier by 12 inches, bringing it to 37 inches above the road.

Originally posted here:
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway retaining wall designs to be put to the test

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