This page presents information that informs you of recent news around town.
Link to the Town Council Meeting 4/9/2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZsbGLO3jb4
Link to the Town Council Meeting 3/12/2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPccHZqPGt0&t=605s
This update is from Shane Fox as of last Friday:
"Despite the rain, we had a very productive week on the Main St. project. Sewer work was completed this week along with the much-needed road repair and binder placement. Work will now return to installing the main water line along North Main from Hill St. to Chetola over the next couple of weeks. We are still on schedule to begin the water tie-ins during the months of June and July, then punch list items into August. Thank you to everyone for your patience!"
I know everyone downtown is losing patience with the work. Please remember that our pipes are 100 years old in places, which is not acceptable with the increasing load the sewer and water bears.
Try to hang in there!
This update came from Shane Fox yesterday afternoon (5/8/2024).
Yesterday the contractor was working on applying a binder along the full length of the construction area before installing any additional water pipe. The goal is to apply a binder up to the intersection of Morris Street as of yesterday or this morning and then Sunset by this afternoon. The weather may not be favorable for this work to be accomplished--I haven't heard an update this morning. The sewer work should be completed today. We are optimistic that the asphalt binder will be completed by early next week.
The water line installation has stopped until the road has an asphalt binder and is manageable.
Last week, at the monthly update meeting with Shane Fox, McGill Associates, Iron Mountain, and Blowing Rock staff, it was projected that the sewer work will be fully completed in the next two weeks, including all tie-ins. The 8" water line installation continues and should be completed around the end of May. At this time, Iron Mountain has around 1,200 linear feet remaining to complete the installation of the main line. Once the main line is installed and tested, the water taps will begin and should take around 2 months to complete. Then there will be punch list items to go through. Overall, we are on schedule.
Here is some additional information about the installation of sewer lines, if you are like me and know nothing about plumbing!
What is a tie-in?
A tie-in is the point where you connect homes to the sewer line.
How Deep are the Sewer Lines Buried?
Generally, a sewer line can be as shallow as 12″ to 30,” or as deep as 6+ ft. Often times this is simply a matter of climate. In really cold climates, the pipe is buried deeper to prevent the pipe from freezing solid in winter. Every now and then you will run into a sewer line that is buried deep even in a warm climate. (Eyman Plumbing, https://rb.gy/ap1wka)
Our Sewer Lines
Our sewer lines in Blowing Rock vary from 3 feet to 8 feet throughout the project. The area around Chetola is the only exception where the depth is around 12 feet in places.
The Sunset and Main intersection will need to be closed again tomorrow (May 2) from 8 AM to 2:00 PM to get through the maze of utilities at that location. The manhole is set but line connections are still needed to get through the intersection. We experienced a water line break today which slowed the contractor's progress.
The intersection of Sunset Drive and Main Street will be closed for Sunset Drive traffic on May 1st, 2024 after 8:00 AM. The intersection will be closed for Sunset Drive but Main Street will remain open for controlled traffic flow. The plan is to install a sewer manhole at that location and to reopen the intersection around 2:00 PM for school release and pick up. Sunset Drive will be closed at Ransom Street with local traffic access to businesses and the school bus lot, but access to Main Street will be closed during the construction.
Sewer crews will be at Morris St. and Main St. this morning (4/23/24). They will begin after school drop off and be out of the way before school pick up. They will be working North toward Maple St. in the coming days and on the east side of Main St. in the parking spaces. Traffic will be routed through the typical stop-arm devices used thus far.
This information was sent to Blowing Rock elected officials yesterday from Kevin Troyer at 4 Forty Four. The Engineer of Record for the house was Patrick Beville, who made the following written statement:
" So High Country folks: I'm sure you know this house. I am the Engineer of Record. I just did a thorough inspection and, rest assured, the house is perfectly safe. There is absolutely no danger of the house moving. It has been roped off as it has become a public spectacle. Please do not go up there. I have coordinated with NCDOT and they should finish their operation this weekend. "
Kevin and Lillie Troyer wanted to share this information with the public as a courtesy for those who have had questions about the home and its proximity above the rock slide.
Here is a link to more information from 4 Forty Four that was posted on their Facebook page:
The contractor for our water and sewer pipe replacements, Iron Mountain, has asked for an additional day this week of road closure on Friday, 4/19/2024 until the late afternoon/evening. They have also requested an additional week of closure next week to complete curbing, sidewalk, and paving before opening the road up and eliminating the detour. The extra week will allow expedited progress on the utilities installation and cleanup through next week without traffic interruption. It was originally planned to be opened at the end of the week, but one more week is needed.
One of the items the Blowing Rock Town Council voted on in the meeting last Tuesday, April 9, 2024, was approving the support of a High Country Poet Laureate. A poet laureate will “promote the writing and reading of literature and poetry in Watauga and Ashe Counties.” Our lives are enhanced through the arts--poetry and literature, as well as other forms of art such as performance and visual arts. Installing a poet laureate is a significant step toward filling a gap in the written word’s presence in the High Country as an integral part of the art environment.
A poet laureate would have many responsibilities in making poetry accessible to everyone. (Click on this link to see a complete list of the roles outlined for the High Country Poet Laureate.)
One of the primary responsibilities of a poet laureate in the High Country is to provide opportunities for our area to be known for our writers, who will benefit from this recognition. A poet laureate can request venues and gather artists together both physically and in publication. By recognizing local poets, other poets and artists in the area can benefit and, perhaps, someday we can establish a High Country Youth Poet Laureate!
Follow this link, https://rb.gy/j22t1j, if you would like more information about the roles, attributes, and terms of service for the High Country Poet Laureate.
Some people are wondering why the trenches on South Main Street have not been paved. The water portion has been completed up to Ginny Stevens Lane from South Main at Valley Boulevard; however, the trenches are not paved yet. At the Town Council meeting on 3/12/2024, Jared from McGill Engineering explained why.
The primary reason is that the gravel in the trenches has to be compacted first, before paving. Additionally, the lines need to be tested. The paving requires 14 inches of asphalt. It makes sense to wait to pave after the lines are tested and all tie-ins are completed. Paving is also weather-dependent because rain and cold affect permanent patching.
On the Town website, click on the link for Water/Sewer Project Road Closure for more information.
The town staff is developing a process for maintenance of town streets' right-of-ways to remove vegetative and other physical obstructions (limbs, bushes, shrubs, and trash enclosures that encroach into sight distances). These obstructions create unsafe environments for driving and pulling out of roads and driveways. Chapter 6 of the Town Code allows us to do this maintenance and requires that the town streets be free of obstructions. If a property owner is contacted and notified of a violation (an obstruction on your property impeding the sight lines for a street), the property owner has 45 days to clear vegetation and 60 days to remove physical obstructions (e.g., fence or wall). If it is not corrected within the given time limits, then town maintenance will clear the obstructions.
Copyright © 2024 Cat Perry - All Rights Reserved.
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