Nov. 19, 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Please see the two maps that detail work in the following through Nov. 27 in Basin 1 (vicinity of the Duck Pond) and Basin 2 (vicinity of Southside Park).
Basin I (vicinity of Duck Pond)
Last week we experienced a great deal of rain but thankfully no flooding. This week’s construction has been especially productive. Construction work in the Jane Way/Duck Pond area has increased dramatically. As many have noticed, the major work across First Boulevard leading to the Duck Pond is well underway with major water and sewer lines being relocated to accommodate two 54-inch storm drainpipes.
Work on the Spanish Moss Trail continued with two 20,000-pound head walls being installed along with 54-inch drainpipes. Tidal flap gates were located and attached to the drainage system. Workers attending to the West Royal Oaks ditch cleaning have been moved to the Duck Pond area to allow the ditches to dry out and for some utilities in the ditches to be relocated.
Next week, we plan on working a full three days before Thanksgiving to fully install the drainage system crossing First Boulevard and leading to the Duck Pond. Cleanup work along Jane Way will continue as the drainage system on that road nears completion. Work next week will continue on the Spanish Moss Trail to replace about a 1,000-foot sewage line with a new one that will improve quality and function. This will take approximately two weeks.
Following the installation of the new sewage line, the Spanish Moss Trail drainage system will be completed. This will clear the way to repave the Spanish Moss Trail and dress up the area. Expect the trail to reopen in early to mid-January.
We hope to open First Boulevard temporarily over the Thanksgiving break. After that, First Boulevard will require additional interruptions as it is graded and paved. Thankfully and with the assistance of our friends at both BJWSA and Dominion Energy, utility service interruptions should be far fewer.
We’re grateful to the residents of Jane Way and the Duck Pond for their exceptional patience and understanding. While the work is especially disruptive, the end result will be a drainage system that is capable of handling an enormous amount of stormwater and tidal surge. We are on track for an on- time, on-budget delivery of this project.
Basin 2 (vicinity of Southside Park)
We are currently about 95% completed with all the improvements in the Southside Park and Broad Street areas. Gulfstream Construction has installed new drainage pipes, and is now cleaning the project site and installing the last of the storm drain boxes. To date, 2,400 feet of drainage pipe has been installed in the Broad Street area, which will process a huge amount of stormwater and protect residents from repetitive flooding events.
Work on the Spanish Moss Trail in this basin is being done by another construction company and as in Basin I, about 1,400 feet of steel sheet pile are being driven into the Spanish Moss Trail between Riverside and Brotherhood. To date, 400 feet of steel wall has been installed. This steel wall will prevent water from seeping under the Spanish Moss Trail and inundating the neighborhood with tidal water.
As in Basin I, work in this basin will include the installation of tidal flap gates to keep tidal surge from inundating the area. We are ahead of schedule in this area and on budget.
Safety!
We’ve had another great week as it relates to safety. That said, residents have noticed that some motorists are again speeding, particularly along Southside Boulevard and Battery Creek Road. Please slow down. It just takes a moment of distraction for disaster to strike.
A tremendous amount of construction is being done in the Duck Pond/Jane Way area. Please avoid that area if at all possible. Disruptions and detours will be numerous. But the contractors are working at the fastest and safest way to deliver the project as quickly as possible. We’ve got about another 5 weeks of really difficult work, but we are making great progress. We are happy to report that we have a perfect safety record so far. Please continue to exercise extreme caution.
Stay informed
Please encourage all those affected or interested in the Mossy Oaks Project to register with the “Notify Me” application found on the City of Beaufort website (https://www.cityofbeaufort.org/list.aspx) and subscribe to the Mossy Oaks Stormwater Project updates. This is the mechanism to receive near real-time updates on the project, including urgent issues like unscheduled road closures or utility interruptions.
On a special note, we wish the best for our departing mayor and City Council members. Mayor Billy Keyserling, Nan Sutton and Mike McFee have been tremendous supporters, along with Stephen Murray and Phil Cromer. We are grateful for their contributions and support. Were it not for this Council’s support, this project would not have become a reality. We’d like to welcome Major General Mitch Mitchell, USAF (ret) and Neil Lipsitz to the City Council. Both have received an extensive brief on Mossy Oaks and will be great additions. Finally, welcome to Stephen Murray as our new mayor who already has expert knowledge of the project.
Enjoy the fantastic weather. While we are in the midst of the most complex part of the project, we are indeed making a tremendous amount of progress.
Neal Pugliese, Col USMC (Ret)
Chairman
Mossy Oaks Multijurisdictional Drainage Task Force
npugliese@cityofbeaufort.org