Fox Run key area of Town’s pilot program to ID areas with weaker stormwater infrastructure
Following a year in which two unexpected stormwater failures cost Farragut more than $300,000 in repairs, the Town is considering an overall infrastructure mapping project. But officials are gingerly testing the waters with a pilot program to better understand how to proceed.
Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved a proposal during its Thursday, Nov. 14, meeting from Civil & Environmental Consultation to begin the pilot project in two locations: Fox Run subdivision and near the Interstate 40/75 interchange under Campbell Station Road.
BOMA elected to put $750,000 into the stormwater fund for fiscal year 2020 to fund a comprehensive study of the stormwater infrastructure, prepare a prioritized list of repair/replace locations and to fund initial projects identified. Cost of the pilot, $39,070, will come out of that fund.
“The purpose of this pilot study is to enable CED and the Town’s staff to more accurately price future investigations that will eventually include all stormwater facilities in the Town,” a report prepared by Town engineer Darryl Smith stated.
“The pilot study will reveal as an average the general condition of corrugated metal pipe installed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and assist in determining which pipes, if any within Fox Run and near the Interstate, that might need further investigation,” the report continued.
Fox Run was chosen because it is one of the Town’s largest subdivisions, and also is known to have a large quantity of corrugated metal piping, according to the report.
“Fox Run was chosen both for its size and the various phases, which were completed over a significant period of time — 1989-2006,” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin, who lives in the neighborhood, said in a separate interview.
Per the agreement, work was expected to begin within two weeks of approval and take approximately three weeks to complete evaluation of both sites. According to the proposal, the company estimated it could have a report back to officials “four to six weeks after field date collection has commenced.”
“This study does not include robotic camera inspections of pipes, but it will determine which pipes, if any within Fox Run and near the Interstate, that might need such investigation,” Smith’s report stated.
The pilot study includes development of a database of infrastructure information that will be used on all future studies, the report continued.
In other business:
• BOMA approved on second reading an ordinance that will allow the sale and distortion of alcoholic beverages in Town-owned rental properties.
• Approved a change order of $28,112.35 for additional road work required at Campbell Station and Snyder roads following improvements made on that interception earlier this year.
Pavement Restorations Inc. had received the low bit of $144,057.95 earlier this year for the project, but “several adjustments were required outside the scope of the original contract,” according to a report from Smith. “Due to unforeseen conditions and elevations of existing stormwater pipe at the interesection of Campbell Station and Snyder roads, three proposed drainage structures and people were required to be adjusted or replaced. Additionally the work required replacement of existing sidewalk and additional milling paving in order to correct existing deficiencies within the intersection.”
Even with the adjustment, the project still came in almost $100,000 below its projected $305,000 budget.
