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Wisner Road slip happened in worst place, trustee says
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - December 28, 2011)
Photo by Keli Boatwright
A landslide along Wisner Road, north of Chardon-Kirtland Road in Chardon Township, was estimated to be 20 feet by 40 feet wide by a township trustee. Trustees debated what direction to take in fixing the situation.
Wisner Road slip happened in worst place, trustee says
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Wisner Road continues to plague officials in Chardon Township.
The road, which follows the Chagrin River, has seen a host of problems, including a portion that has been washed out for about 40 years.
This summer, Township Trustees were kept busy with a stretch of the road, south of Mentor Road, which was slipping into a ravine.
Then, last week, trustees learned that a landslide along another part of the road, north of Chardon-Kirtland Road, was another problem they are going to have to deal with.
A flashing barricade and a sign denoting a one-lane road was recently put along that part of the road after a large slab of earth gave way from the edge of the road and slid about 40 feet into the river.
"It created an island in the river," Joseph Cattell, chief deputy engineer with the Geauga County Engineer's Office, said. He said the swelling river had washed away about half of the island by the end of the week.
Township Trustee Charles Strazinsky Jr. said trees that once were along the bank of the river had slid into the river and were still standing upright.
"The worst place this could happen, it happened," Mr. Strazinsky said.
It had occurred, he said, along a part that was about 30 to 40 feet above the river, possibly making the road susceptible to a collapse.
Mr. Cattell said much of the earth that collapsed was composed of blue clay, a deposit that easily erodes when wet. He said the ground is saturated because of the record rains that came this year and continue to fall.
Mr. Strazinsky estimated that the section that slid into the river was about the size of the township meeting room, approximately 20 by 40 feet.
The slide occurred just at the edge of the roadway and made an even steeper drop-off than was there before.
Township Road Superintendent John Washco said he met with Mr. Cattell to discuss possible repairs for the area, which include shifting the road to the west, installing about 125 feet of guardrail and using rip-rap, or large stones, in an attempt to stabilize the bank.
Mr. Washco said the river cuts straight into the embankment at that point of the road.
The cost for shifting the road, he said, would be around $1,490 in materials, $1,950 in labor and $5,300 for guardrail.
Another option, Mr. Washco said, may be to just reduce the road to one lane, although that may leave some liability for the township.
Other than that, he said, the township could look at a much more expensive fix. He said Mr. Cattell had said the township could pound steel I-beams into bank and erect a wall. But, he said, that fix comes at price of about $100,000.
Trustee Steven Borawski said the township should consult with the county engineer and state highway officials before taking any action. He said he doesn't want to rush to spend $10,000 now and then later again when more erosion occurs. He said gabion baskets, or wire baskets wrapped around large stones, may be better for protecting against erosion than just dumping rocks along the side.
Trustee Michael Brown agreed, saying he doesn't want to do piecemeal repairs. "I don't want to do $10,000 worth of repairs every six months," he said. "We need to do it right the first time."
Mr. Strazinsky said he also doesn't want to agree to a project unless the money spent would take care of the problem.
Mr. Washco said even gabion baskets may not protect the bank if the earth under them slips more.
Mr. Borawski said one thing the township will try to avoid is doing any work in the river. It is designated as a Scenic River in Ohio and is granted special protections. Any work in the river requires approvals from such agencies as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District.
Mr. Strazinksy agreed. "You can't do anything without the big, giant stamps of everyone," he said.
Trustees agreed to personally inspect the area and possibly determine this week what action should be taken.
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