Dear Neighbors,

Walkers on the corridor will have noted that lengths of one-foot diameter pipe have been dropped all the way to the crossing at Virginia Terrace to Sheldon/Fox. The pipe is now buried most of the way between Odana and Glenway. Between Glenway and Virginia Terrace the pipe lengths are being welded at the side of the path and will be dragged over and dropped into the trench. Between Odana and Commonwealth there are two major sections where the original rail level will be graded down as much as two feet. The trenches for the rail now being dug are to be dug to a depth so that the top of the gas pipe will be 3 feet under the finished surface.

I wondered how the very long (hundreds of feet?) welded lengths of pipe could be moved (some bending would be inevitable) into the trench without breaking the welds. The answer is that the welds are supposed to be as strong as the pipe. The welds will be tested under high pressure after the laying is complete.

The rainy weather has cost the contractor, InterCon, some time. Some unexpected rock has been encountered, I believe between Midvale and Odana. Overall, however, the pipe-laying is proceeding at a good pace. The company hopes to be done, with most of the work, by July 4.

It is my understanding that the company plans to complete cleanup after the pipe is underground. If neighbors have particular cleanup requests to make I suggest contacting Bob Stoffs of MG&E at rstoffs@mge.com or 252 7906. The next week or two will be our last chance, at least till the main contractor for path construction begins.

FAQs:

How will the pipe be laid under Midvale, Odana and Glenway? It will be bored underneath (as a hole was bored under the beltline for the pipe).

What are the piles of tires at street intersections for? To provide some protection for sidewalks and curbs as heavy machinery passes into the corridor. (This even though these sidewalks and curbs will soon be taken out anyway, as the path is put in.)

And, why did white gravel appear at the near the street intersections? To keep trucks and workers from tracking mud on to the streets in the wet weather. Hey, these InterCon folks are really nice guys!

Final note: The contractor for the main project has now been selected. It is the contractor that did the Wingra Creek path which seems to this writer to have been very nicely done. City Engineering expects a start date of late July or early August. Why do I think I'm going to be biking the streets till next summer?

That's all for now. If you find these updates of interest, pass the word to friends and neighbors. We would like our www.dmna.org homepage to be a less well-kept secret.

And if you are interested in the DMNA Rail to Trail Committee, and in receiving periodic email messages about the path, let me know.

Paul pbeckett@facstaff.wisc.edu

http://www.dmna.org/bikepath/bulletin2.shtml
Last Modified: 03-Feb-08 05:53 PM

_ Contact Us: webmaster@dmna.org or ekelana (at) gmail.com
Copyright © 2000 - 2003, Dudgeon-Monroe Neighborhood Association
Madison, Wisconsin