New North Buffalo Township Engineer Gets to Work on Structurally-Deficient Culverts

by Jonathan Weaver

A rotting galvanized pipe along Sportsman Road in North Buffalo Township is at the top of Township Engineer Joshua James’ to-do list.

Last month, James – senior project engineer with Young and Associates in Indiana (Pa.) – said he had a pre-engineering meeting with the state the Department of Environmental Protection August 25 describing the project and “getting the permit approved as soon as they can, given that we’re running out of good weather to get the construction done this Fall.”

“We don’t want to let that culvert open again for another winter, exposed to freeze and thaw issues,” James said.

James – who said he has consulted on projects similar to this one – anticipated project approval.

In March, Supervisor Clark Whiteman said structural integrity of the six-foot pipe “is gone” and could cost six-figures if township officials do not rectify the problem soon.

Similar pipes are also under other township roads, such as McHaddon and Glade Run Roads.

At that time, supervisors received an approximately-$83,000 estimate for a different solution from township engineers, but Supervisor Chair David Wolfe was upset engineers did not recommend other options. Young and Associates was hired a few months later.

“What’s in there now is a corregated metal pipe, a little rougher than a smooth pipe – so we looked at a polyethylene pipe and we are able to go with the smaller pipe because the roughness is not as much,” James said. “We’re thinking we’re going to be able to get a 42-inch through there and maintain that same hydraulic capacity.”

James will also consider a polypropylene pipe with steel reinforcements, even though the type of pipe does not have to be defined to DEP in the initial application and can be decided “at the last minute.”

To try and save money, supervisors asked James to look into accepting bids only for grouting and installing caged riprap for erosion control (as opposed to concrete) while township laborers installing the new pipe itself. Traffic control will also be required on-site.

Wolfe recommended such actions due to safety concerns.

“I just don’t feel comfortable with our guys going in there cutting that pipe,” Wolfe said. “We’d have to get them fresh air respirators and stuff like that because that’s an enclosed area – especially for being 144 feet long and 86 feet below surface. I don’t want our guys in there.”

The municipality is exempt from permit fees, according to James – contrary to what previous engineers advised, according to Wolfe.

“We had some initial conversation with our prior engineering firm, and they told us DEP was going to charge us on two of the initial quotes - $5,000 a piece they wanted us to pay,” Wolfe said.

Property owners will allow township officials on the property to correct the problem, but James also recommended a temporary easement to allow construction equipment.

“As anybody knows, a construction project takes time to put together – but we’re making progress,” James said. “At the end of the day, (Sportsmans Road) has some specific site conditions you have to worry about so we have to make sure to consider the structural integrity of that pipe and the hydraulic capacity of that situation there.”

Wolfe and the other two supervisors thanked James for his work during the past few months.

“(He’s) moved this right along for us, and that’s what we needed,” Wolfe concluded.

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