| Topic: 318% TAX INCREASE by Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr, LEGACY DESTROYED IN ALBERT LEA, MN | < Next Oldest | Next Newest > |
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| Post Number: 71
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was1 
Group: Members
Posts: 1880
Joined: Apr. 2015
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Posted on: Jul. 24 2015,7:55 am |
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My guess is the pavement was falling apart long before the flooding in the 70's. Back in the day they only put about 6" of class 5 down and about 2" of bituminous on that for the driving surface. That will not hold up for long. I saw streets in Albert Lea that looked very similar and had not been flooded.
However, not taking care of the known flooding that does now occur, will damage the pavement structure and accelerate the deterioration of it. I’m really sorry to see they are going ahead with the project sans correcting the flooding at the same time.
There are a few other places in town that do also flood, as was mentioned by others. City really should look at reverting some of those low areas back to ponding areas. There are old photos and maps in City Hall that show things like Morin Lake and a few other places in town that should have never been filled and developed.
I was interested in what Jahnke said about some of the piping staying in place and others being pipe burst. From what I read, there are many sags in the sanitary line, pipe bursting them and pulling a new pipe through will not address the sags if they are very substantial.
Here’s another thought/option. Add some oversized storm lines in the area, even put them under the park area, to be used as some additional storage area. They do this for storm water retention in areas that do not have enough space for ponds in developments. You could run a bunch of low cost, CMP under the park. Won’t solve but would reduce the frequency and extent of the flooding that does occur.
Good luck.
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| Post Number: 72
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alcitizens
Albert Lea
Group: Members
Posts: 3664
Joined: Jul. 2009
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Posted on: Jul. 24 2015,8:16 pm |
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How much to perform Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) down 6th St?
$4 to $20 Million?? 
City Engineer Jahnke said at the beginning of last week that the Driller will give a ballpark cost for such a project hopefully by the end of last week..
Still Nothing..
I want a copy of the Drillers estimate..
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| Post Number: 73
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hymiebravo
Group: Members
Posts: 4989
Joined: Jan. 2006
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Posted on: Jul. 26 2015,2:46 pm |
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You get a couple of relatively mild rain seasons and the flood mitigation talk, sort of evaporates it seems.
It's a rather daunting task in Albert lea though.
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| Post Number: 74
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alcitizens
Albert Lea
Group: Members
Posts: 3664
Joined: Jul. 2009
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Posted on: Jul. 27 2015,6:49 am |
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(was1 @ Jul. 24 2015,7:55 am)
QUOTE My guess is the pavement was falling apart long before the flooding in the 70's. Back in the day they only put about 6" of class 5 down and about 2" of bituminous on that for the driving surface. That will not hold up for long. I saw streets in Albert Lea that looked very similar and had not been flooded.
However, not taking care of the known flooding that does now occur, will damage the pavement structure and accelerate the deterioration of it. I’m really sorry to see they are going ahead with the project sans correcting the flooding at the same time.
There are a few other places in town that do also flood, as was mentioned by others. City really should look at reverting some of those low areas back to ponding areas. There are old photos and maps in City Hall that show things like Morin Lake and a few other places in town that should have never been filled and developed.
I was interested in what Jahnke said about some of the piping staying in place and others being pipe burst. From what I read, there are many sags in the sanitary line, pipe bursting them and pulling a new pipe through will not address the sags if they are very substantial.
Here’s another thought/option. Add some oversized storm lines in the area, even put them under the park area, to be used as some additional storage area. They do this for storm water retention in areas that do not have enough space for ponds in developments. You could run a bunch of low cost, CMP under the park. Won’t solve but would reduce the frequency and extent of the flooding that does occur.
Good luck.
Financing by the City is limited each year for projects based on how much income the City can collect in taxes..
Some areas of the City are privileged and get funding before others.. The more they improve home values on the privileged side of town, the rest get less and that reduces the value of their homes..
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer..
Force mains are cheaper to install than gravity storm systems.. Some areas in low areas don't have a choice other than a force main or detention ponds, possibly both..
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| Post Number: 75
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alcitizens
Albert Lea
Group: Members
Posts: 3664
Joined: Jul. 2009
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Posted on: Jul. 27 2015,4:00 pm |
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I just heard from the City of Albert Lea that an upgraded Lift Station and a Force Main going to Albert Lea Lake would not cost $20 million or $10 million, not even $4 million..
To Stop the flooding at South Broadway Ave, Newton Ave, James Ave, Frank Ave and Virginia Place area would cost only $2.1 million dollars..
Its time for the Albert Lea Water and Sewer Fund to fulfill their obligation to provide an adequate storm sewer system to all of the residents in Albert Lea..
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| Post Number: 76
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alcitizens
Albert Lea
Group: Members
Posts: 3664
Joined: Jul. 2009
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Posted on: Jul. 27 2015,9:30 pm |
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I can't find a single incident on the internet of a storm sewer force main becoming plugged..
Chances are they never will plug..
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| Post Number: 77
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was1
Group: Members
Posts: 1880
Joined: Apr. 2015
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Posted on: Aug. 05 2015,9:09 am |
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What? City leaders throwing out $ figures that are 10 times more than actual? I can't believe it. It's still more than I thought, but it is a bigger diameter line than what I did a quick back of the envelope on.
$2.1M to at least greatly reduce the occurance of flooding in that area and all the other costs that occur with it (quicker degradation of the road, reduced property values, potential injuries and damages and claims due to flooding) all seems like a win-win to just get this done ASAP. There is NO excuse that $2.1M is too much to fix this. Just think what correcting this problem will do for the property values in this area.
I hope you will be getting an appology from the Mayor and City Engineer for their grossly over estimated cost for the correction, they should be ashamed and embarressed by what they public said it would cost to fix. Then, after their appology, they better announce that they have already begun the design for this work and have moved this project to the top of the list and it will be started this fall or no later than first thing next spring.
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| Post Number: 78
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| Post Number: 79
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| Post Number: 80
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