HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport of the Engineer Jan 1973• ROUTE 13 OVERPASS
VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HF1".lo
REPORT OF THE) NGIF7", .
JANUARY 1974
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At the request of the Board the Engineer attended three meetings at the County
Planning Office concerning the Lansing overpass. The official opinion of the
Village Board of Trustees was related to those present as in favor of the depression
of Route 13 if it could be accomplished by the State under their present existing
contract for the construction of the overpass.
MASS TRANSIT IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE VILLAGE AND SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES
At the request of the Mayor the Engineer attended a meeting on January 14, 1974
at Cornell University to discuss the problems of transportation from this area to
and from Cornell University, downtown Ithaca, and places of business in Lansing.
At this meeting it seemed to be the general opinion that there was on the surface
a need for community mass transport by bus but that the volume of traffic and the
desire to use personal cars wherever possible made it economically prohibitive
to set up a workable bus schedule and system. The idea of a transit system supported
by the County or underwritten by other parties or municipalities was discussed also.
SEWER LINES
Replacement of the sewer line in Comstock Road has been completed. The
replacement of the Village sewer main going through the Cayuga Heights School
grounds has been delayed as the infiltration in that line was determined not to
be as great as other lines that need immediate attention. The next replacement
• sewer line work will be done on Berkshire Road at the intersection with Highgate
Road. This will be scheduled as weather permits this winter. A University Civil
Engineering student has been hired part time as temporary work to carry on the
good infiltration study and investigation work done by Robert Crow last summer.
SEFTAGE TREATMENT PLANT
The old treatment plant continues to be operated satisfactorily by our
contractor. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has not
as yet returned for an inspection of the plant. In verbal communication with
Mr. Petruccelli of that State office it was gathered that they wish to delay the
inspection to allow our contractor to get the plant in top operating condition.
The construction of the alterations and additions continues to progress ahead
of schedule. As of December 31, 19731 66do of the total construction was completed
according to our consulting engineers, Teetor - Dobbins. As we approach the 75%
complete we will process another request for money from the State and Federal
governments to cover their part of the construction costs. The new buildings at
the construction site have been closed in so that winter work can be continued by
the mechanical trades. A meeting is to be held by the Engineer with Engineers from
Teetor - Dobbins on Tuesday, January 15. Infiltration of air'into the outfall pipe
caused the outer portion of it to rise to the surface where it was impossible for
the contractor to get additional anchors on the line before the closing of the
Barge, Canal System during the fall. A small change order was authorized and the
contractor blocked off the flow of sewage from the new outfall pipe, thus eliminating
•the air problem until proper design and construction could be completed. There are
no problems in using the existing 12" cast iron pipe to carry the flaw from the
plant out into the lake.
•Engineer's Report
Page 2
STREET LIGHTS
• A report from the New York State Electric and Gas on a proposal to replace
all existing street lights in the Village has been distributed to the Board of
Trustees or is available in the Village Office for their inspection. At present
the Engineer is trying to locate a map of all street lights in the Village so
that their exact location can be determined. The Engineer has requested the
New York State Electric and Gas Company to reduce the 175 watt lamps in the new
fixtures erected on the curve at Hanshaw Road near Cayuga Heights Road with 100
watt lamps so that we may get a better idea of the exact amount of light to be
given off by the 3350 lumen mercury vapor lights they propose in their report.
The New York State Electric & Gas Corp. said they would replace two of three new
fixtures with the lower wattage lamps. It is the opinion of the Engineer that we
should proceed to relight the Village with these new lamps but prior to doing so
an examination should be made of all areas of the Village to see if it is possible
to reduce some street lights in some area and to see whether we agree with the
New York State Electric and Gas Corp. proposed location for new lights. It is
recommended that the Mayor appoint a committee of the Engineer, Chief of Police,
and a Trustee to establish the location throughout the Village for desired street
lights.
WATER CONTRACT WITH THE TOWN OF LANSING
The Engineer had extensive conversations with Mr. Pat Hannan of the City
Water Department and Mr. Tom Miller, Engineer for the Town of Lansing. The location
for a temporary pumping station near Jessup Road has been picked out by Mr. Miller,
Mr. Hannan and Mr. Noel Desch, Director of Buildings and Properties at Cornell
• University and also member of the Town of Ithaca Board. The City of Ithaca already
has the pumps in stock needed for the installation in this temporary pumping station.
The City has provisions in their contract with the Town of Lansing that these
pumps will be installed in the temporary pump station and that the cost will be
borne by the Town of Lansing. The Lansing Town Board has also passed a resolution
to pay for the cost of installation of the pumping if required. The City of Ithaca
has been supplying the Town of Lnneing with water for the past seven weeks and
there has been no problem in meeting Lansing's water demand. The Town of Lansing
has three water storage tanks as follows: 1/2 million gallon tank at the Airport,
an additional 100,000 gallon tank at the Airport, and a 1/2 million gallon tank
on Triphammer Road. They have pumping capacity to move water from one tank to
another. Because of this storage capacity, Lansing has the ability to meet high
peak demands without requiring excessive pumping through the Village. Last summer
when the City installed a temporary fire truck to pump water from Jessup Road to
our Sheldon tank it was because they were supplying Lansing with water at that
time and Lansing had allowed their tan::s to be drawn down to a very low level
before they requested water from the City. Lansing water department has been
warned of this and it should not happen again. Also, Lansing's period of largest
demand for water from the outside woul.rl be during the winter when the lake level
is low and their wells at Fsty Point :or their own water supply are lowest of the
season. During the susamer the lake level is up and they do have the lake supply
to supplement and use as a standby for any water needs. Lansing receives their
water from the Village from the Warren Road main. This gives the added capacity
of the Christopher Circle tank and the Sheldon Road tank to meet peak demands.
The Village has two pumps at its Sheldon jRoad pumping station with a capacity of
• 200 gallons per minute each. If the two pumps are used at once the combined
capacity is 350 gallons per minute. We have been notified by the City who takes
care of our pumping station that it would be well to replace the pump - impeller
which is now some 20 years old and replace the motor with a new 20 horse power
motor. This would increase our pumping capacity to 600 gallons per minute.
A
Engineer's Report
Page 3
It seems to me that the cost of installing the additional pumping capacity at
our Sheldon Road tank could be borne by the three parties that will benefit,
The Town of Ithaca, The Town of Lansing, and The Village of Cayuga Heights.
It seems to me the supplying of water to the Village of Cayuga Heights at the
same time as supplying water to the Town of Lansing has been investigated and
safeguards have been provided for. During my 20 year tenure with the Village
I know of no time at which the City was not able to supply water to the Village
and I am sure that they will continue to provide us with that good service.
J. B. Rogers
Village Engineer
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