HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual's Engineer's Report Feb 1972VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE VILLAGE ENGINEER
FEBRUARY 1972
• JOHN B. ROGERS
STREETS
The usual annual surface treatment and repaving was carried out on the streets
that needed it most throughout the Village. The headwalls on the large culvert
under Cayuga Heights Road near the City line were installed, planting was
completed and the road surface was leveled and repaved, completing this project.
In a number of places throughout the Village road ditching was accomplished by
the use of a rented excavating machine designed for this purpose. The result
was very good and it is anticipated to do more such work in the coming spring
and summer. The culvert that carries Remington Stream under North Sunset Drive
is in bad need of repair. The repair or the replacement of this culvert will be
a major cost to the Village. We hope to accomplish this work during the coming
summer. The Village Engineer met with State Officials and other local highway
officials on the Ithaca Area Transportation Study and Problems. Our greatest
traffic problem, the traffic on North Triphammer Road and Pleasant Grove Road
both connecting into Hanshaw Road was brought before this group. The construction
of a traffic circle where North Triphammer Road meets Route 13 will further
complicate the Village traffic problem as it will generate additional traffic
from Route 13 and the Triphammer Shopping Plaza area. There were only ten road
opening permits issued during the past year. This is the least number of permits
issued during the past 10 or 15 years in the Village reflecting a decrease in
construction in the Village.
SNOW REMOVAL
A very mild winter up until February 18th reduced snow removal problems to a
minimum. A major storm over that weekend kept the public works crews working
around the clock for a three day period. The two large Village truck plows, the
Village grader, the Village 4 -wheel drive pickup truck equipped with a plow and
the Village sidewalk full -track plow were all put to effective use. An efficient
job was done by the public works crew in keeping the major roads open throughout
the storm and opening up all other roads soon after.
REFUSE COLLECTION
During the past year a higher than expected cost for refuse collection has resulted
from the removal of extensive elm wood cut by Village residents. The removal of
diseased elm trees within the road right of way comes under the refuse collection
heading and therefore further increased the cost of this operation for the past
year. The Board of Trustees has approved the purchase of a new 20 cubic yard
refuse collection packer and a cab and chassis. Bids will go out next month for
this piece of equipment so that it will be available as soon as the ice and snow
and salt are no longer on the Village roads.
VILLAGE FIRE HALL ADDITIONS
The Village work force carried out the site work grading, - paving and planting
around the new expanded Village Fire Hall.
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The public works crew carried out grading, planting and sidewalk construction
around the Village Hall. By private contractor a vault has been constructed for
fire protection of valuable Village papers in the basement of the Village Hall.
Additional lighting was added in some of the offices of the Village Hall and
additional lighting is under study for the main meeting hall.
SEWER LINES
700 to 800 feet of 10 inch sewer line replaced an 8 inch sewer line through the
Savage Farm. At the same time new higher manholes were installed where the line
ran close to a stream. This new construction cut out considerable amount of
infiltration into the lines and also provided greater capacity for the sewers in
the northeast area leading down to the plant. An 8 inch sewer line at 107 Cayuga
Heights Road replaced a very old 6 inch line. An additional 8 inch line was
installed halfway between Midway Road and Triphammer Road replacing a line that
was in poor condition. With the addition of these new sewer lines our infiltration
recorded at the Sewage Treatment Plant has again been reduced. A continuing
program of inspecting for infiltration will continue this spring.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
Operational problems in the handling and recirculation of sludge necessitated a
major expenditure to remove the cover of the digester, removal of the sludge in
the digester and examination of the sludge lines. The cause of the problem was
found, corrected and the plant was put back into proper operation within a week.
During the entire operation the County Board of Health and State Officials were
notified of our problem and our procedures for correcting it.
The Village program for alterations and additions to our Sewage Disposal Plant
is moving along on schedule. Our consulting engineers have submitted plans
through all proper State and Federal authorities and approval was gained from
these authorities. A contract for phase I, Site Preparation, was put out to bid.
A low bid of a number of bidders was considerably under the engineer's cost
estimate and was accepted by the Board of Trustees allowing work to start six
months ahead of the deadline required by the State for commencing construction
of our secondary treatment facilities at the Treatment Plant. Our consulting
engineers, Teetor - Dobbins, are completing the plans for the rest of the work
necessary to provide secondary and teritary treatment (phosphate removal).
These plans are scheduled for completion by the middle of March and when they
have been approved by the Board and cleared the proper authorities they will be
put out to bid. Construction on this phase of the contract is expected to start
early spring.