[ back ]
Road-salt storage runs into weather woes
(by Sue Reid - June 01, 2011)
Road-salt storage runs into weather woes
By SUE REID
Steady spring rains have delayed the progress of a new salt storage facility for the City of Solon. The facility has run into other issues since it was proposed in 2009.
"We're trying to move forward with this project," Service Director Thomas Bandiera said, "but the weather this spring has really held us back. We're kind of on hold until we get conducive weather."
The salt storage facility, estimated cost of $650,000, is tied to the Woodbury detention basin project behind City Hall, which is to serve as the borrow pit for the dirt to be used for the salt building.
"That project is hampering us moving forward with the salt barn site preparation, because they both have to be done at the same time," Mr. Bandiera said.
Other issues have arisen since the facility was first proposed, including soil problems with the original site chosen.
"The ground was no good," Mr. Bandiera said, and the cost to abate the problem too high.
"We had to resurvey and move the building forward more," he said. The original location is very close to where it's being suggested now.
"We had to move the building forward to get it out of that bad soil," he said. Because of that, they ran into the utility poles, he said. Those poles had to then be relocated.
The city then went out to bid for the whole project and received just one response, which was rejected due to its high cost. It was then decided to bid out the project separately, Mr. Bandiera said.
"We took a step back and decided to put this out in three separate projects," including the utility pole relocation, site work and building and foundation.
"We're going to be more specific by breaking it up in phases to get the most efficient cost to the city," he said.
The utility pole relocation, or phase one, took place over this winter. An access easement on the north side of the property line to get to the poles required a variance, which was recently approved by the planning commission.
The next step is to go out for bid for the site work and get a contractor on board, he said. The next phase would be the foundation and building.
It is hoped that the new facility would be constructed this year, Mr. Bandiera said. "We're working diligently with engineering, but we lost three months with this weather."
The facility is needed because the current building is about 25 years old and does not provide enough storage for an entire winter use.
The current salt storage building only has the capacity for about 2,500 to 3,000 tons of salt, Mr. Bandiera said. On average, the city uses 10,000 tons during a winter season.
"It was an excellent building choice at the time, but our lane miles have increased since the construction of that building," Mr. Bandiera said. His department was responsible for maintaining 200 lane miles at that time, and now it is approaching 400.
"We just don't have enough storage in that building to store enough salt to get us through the entire winter," he said. "We have to continue to order salt while everyone else is. The delivery time is always a problem and there is always that fear of running out."
The new building he is proposing, he said, would give the city the opportunity to purchase salt earlier and at a better price.
"We would have a full year's quantity under roof prior to winter," he said.
[ back ]
