Storm Drainage
Site Development, Utility Improvements
public support for
public safety in alton
Project Owner:
City of Alton, IA
Key Experience:
- Long term coordination with the City of Alton to plan for the future needs of the area
- Successful coordination with local contractors
- Local design partnerships with CMBA and EDA for the building addition project
Key Features:
- Long-term City planning outlook- 2015 street project, 2022 Fire Station Addition project
- Community support, $2M bonding bill supported by 97% of voters
- Local contractors bids add to the community feel
DGR Engineering (DGR) continues to support the City of Alton, IA in planning and design for their long-term infrastructure needs, including a new fire station. As part of that process, a multi-phase plan for infrastructure projects was developed, splitting the project work into two phases to meet budgetary and approval constraints. Phase 1 (2015) involved a street reconstruction project, including updated sanitary sewer and water infrastructure with new road surfacing (PCC). Phase 2 (2021-22) included new (PCC) driveway and sidewalk, grading and building utilities adjacent to the new building addition.
Driveways, sidewalks and utilities for the 11th Street project (2015) were planned while keeping in mind the challenging ADA site for the future fire department expansion project (2021).
To add to the public support sentiment that surrounded this project, both publicly bid projects featured area contractors. The 2015 street project was completed by Jellema Construction of Alton, and the building general contractor was Poppma-Sikma of Sheldon. The design group included DGR as the civil engineering consultant for both projects, while the building addition (2021-22) was designed by CMBA Architects and Engineering Design Associates (EDA) as design partners.
Based on the design, bidding and construction time frames, the building addition project experienced the early effects of recent economic inflation. The City and design team selected project materials and changes as needed to meet the project budget. The project overwhelmingly passed in the bonding vote, including an additional parking paving bid alternate that was not included in the final project.
Challenges
As with most projects, challenges presented themselves throughout the course of the two projects. The primary concern from a site perspective was constructing a single floor elevation building addition adjacent to a roadway with 4' of fall, while maintaining fire truck passable driveway slopes and ADA required sidewalk grades.
The City provided early indication of their future building plans, allowing DGR engineers to design street grades that would meet the municipal street needs and allow for an ADA accessible route to the new community asset.
In the end, successful communication, planning and flexibility culminated in two successful projects for the community of Alton, resulting in a singular infrastructure upgrade.
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Neighborhood Reconstruction
Making Neighborhoods Better.
Project Owner:
City of Brandon, SD
Key Experience:
- Project Phasing
- Community Communication
- Open House Informational Meetings
- Easements
Key Features:
- Water and Sewer Line Replacement
- New Storm Sewer
- New Curb and Gutter
- New Asphalt Pavement
- Sidewalk and ADA Improvements
In 2018, the City of Brandon selected DGR Engineering (DGR) to assist the community with the reconstruction of approximately 30 city blocks of the Rushmore Area in the southeast part of the city. The streets had outlived their useful life and the roadway was starting to degrade quickly in certain areas. Part of the reason for the rapid degradation of the street surface was the lack of storm sewer in the neighborhood. In addition, the water and sewer lines were in need of replacement due to their age and condition. Additional storm sewer, new curb, gutter and asphalt pavement, as well as a new 4 ft. wide sidewalk and ADA improvements, were also included.
The first steps in the process were to survey the entire project area, coordinate with staff to define the scope, and develop cost estimates for the work that needed to be done. Potential project phases were developed for the project to meet the financial needs of the City. Phasing of the project that would best fit the City's budget was determined, and then DGR began to design the first phase.
Communication was critical to keep residents informed. Letters were mailed out to residents prior to a survey taking place. A public open house was held to give residents details of the project and inform them of easements that would be needed. Easement documents were prepared and sent to property owners. DGR conducted many personal meetings with residents to discuss and obtain easements to facilitate the project.
DGR designed a new lift station, new sanitary sewer, water mains and the associated service lines as well as a storm sewer system to collect stormwater. The stormwater was routed to the south end of Rushmore Drive to the sedimentation basin designed as part of the project. The sedimentation basin has a system in place to help collect trash washed from the streets and to contain sediment and oils from the roadway. This allows the City to collect that material and dispose of it, rather than have it carried into Splitrock Creek.
DGR teamed with Confluence to facilitate streetscaping and the sedimentation basin landscaping.
The sedimentation basin was a unique feature to this project. It was designed to slow the discharge of stormwater to Splitrock Creek in smaller rain events, but it also has the ability to be overtopped at the bottom in larger rain events without causing damage to the system. As the City of Brandon grows, the basin will help to meet upcoming MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) EPA requirements that will be placed on the City.
DGR assisted the the City in acquiring the land needed to construct the sedimentation basin and relocate the City’s lift station that serves the area. The decision was made to relocate and construct a new sanitary sewer lift station on the same parcel that would contain the sedimentation basin. The new lift station replaced some aging pumps and equipment, and employees will no longer need to climb down into a confined space. In addition, an on-site back up generator was added to provide instant backup in the event of a power outage.
During construction, DGR provided on-site construction observation to ensure the work complied with the design requirements and to work with residents, answer their questions and address their concerns. Temporary mailboxes were added near the post office for the project and when the project was complete, Cluster Box Units (CBU’s) were installed, eliminating mailboxes at each residence.
Phase II is planned to be constructed in 2023 and Phase III construction is planned for 2025.
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Street & Utility Improvements
Sioux City Project updates
Morningside Avenue
Project Owner:
City of Sioux City, IA
Key Experience:
- Planning and coordination with local businesses to maintain access during construction
- Improving drainage along the corridor by adding storm sewer
- Major intersection reconstruction completed half at a time
Key Features:
- New utilities (sanitary sewer and water main) including adding storm sewer where none previously existed along with decorative street lighting and colored concrete sidewalks
- Several stages of construction allowing business access at all times during construction
- Involved a major intersection of two arterial streets with Morningside Avenue and S. Lakeport Street
Morningside Avenue is a main arterial street though the Morningside neighborhood of Sioux City, IA. The original infrastructure dated back to the early 1900’s, with streetcar tracks actually buried under the paving. This project also included the intersection of S. Lakeport Street, a north-south arterial street that extends to Gordon Drive.
Morningside Avenue was reconstructed from just east of S. Nicollet Street to east of S. Lakeport Street totaling approximately 1,300 linear feet. The project included new sanitary sewer, water main (replacing two existing mains), storm sewer, fiber conduits, decorative street lighting, and 9-inch concrete paving with colored concrete sidewalks.
To provide customer and truck delivery access to adjacent businesses, the project was completed in seven stages (including removing/replacing temporary crossovers on S. Lakeport Street through a raised median).
Stage 1a was installing new storm sewer along a portion of S. Clinton from Morningside Avenue to south of intersection of Garretson Avenue and S. Clinton. This provided a storm sewer outlet for Morningside Avenue where none previously existed.
Stage 1b was the reconstruction of Morningside Avenue from just east of S. Nicollet Street east to S. Henry Street.
Stage 2 was extending the reconstruction of Morningside Avenue from S. Henry Street to just short of the S. Lakeport Street intersection.
The final four stages included reconstruction of the intersection of Morningside Avenue and S. Lakeport Street in order to replace utilities and install a new traffic signal. DGR Engineering (DGR) coordinated with the City and contractor to maintain one lane of northbound and southbound traffic on S. Lakeport Street at all times throughout the entire project.
Stage 1a and 1b were completed in 2018. Stages 2, 3a, 3b and 4a and 4b were completed in 2019.
DGR services included gathering survey and utility data needed to prepare detailed plans and specifications as well as construction administration and observation using Federal Aid Funding for the reconstruction of Morningside Avenue.
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Site Development
site layout and grading key
to project's success
Sunnybrook Village, Sioux City, IA
Project Owner:
AP Sioux City, Dallas, TX
Key Experience:
- Building Layout Coordination
- Site Access
- Site Utilities
- Significant Site Grading
Key Features:
- 42-acre retail development
- Two primary retail buildings
- Four outlots
- Free-standing buildings
The area’s growing population had generated demand for additional shopping options in Sioux City, Iowa. DGR Engineering (DGR) worked with the developer and initial tenants to develop a 42-acre retail subdivision on the south end of Sunnybrook Drive.
Prior to 2000, the area consisted of farm ground and an open ditch. The Sunnybrook Plaza project included installation of a 3,000 ft. box culvert through the site and grading to fill in the ditch. Also included in the project were utilities, a lift station, site grading and paving of Sunnybrook Drive to support the two main anchors, Target and Lowe’s, along with six other lots for future tenants.
Later, DGR projects included additional grading and paving of Sergeant Road, the extension of Sunnybrook Drive to Christy Road, and preliminary grading for the future site of Sunnybrook Village.
DGR worked with the developer to put together a preliminary layout for the site. However, when Fleet Farm expressed interest in putting a 200,000+ square foot building on the site, a significant revision was needed to fit the larger building footprint and required parking on the site.
The use of AutoCAD Civil3D® allowed DGR to redesign the site plans by moving the building pad back toward the hill and steepening the slope behind the building. Coordination between multiple entities to create a mutually satisfying layout of buildings, parking area, utilities and street access was a main element of the planning process.
The current construction will provide 274,000 square feet of retail space for Fleet Farm and Hobby Lobby, a free-standing Fleet Farm car wash/gas station/convenience store and room for an additional 44,900 square feet of retail space. 1,208 parking stalls will be provided in the initial phase of construction. Future development on the site will include four outlots for future stores or restaurants, as well as space for one additional free-standing building.
A challenge this job presented was the existing flood plain designation along Sunnybrook Drive. Documenting DGR’s previous design work on grading and storm drainage work enabled DGR to work with FEMA to obtain a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR). This removed the flood plain designation, allowing work to move forward on the project.
Site utilities include installation of water main and sanitary sewer to serve each building, as well as storm sewer to collect site runoff. The runoff will be delivered to an existing 72” storm sewer along the front of the site. It will then be carried into the existing storm water detention area on the south side of Christy Road.
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Drainage Project
WESTERN AVENUE DRAINAGE PROJECT
REDUCES FLOODING ISSUES IN SIOUX FALLS
Project Owner:
City of Sioux Falls, SD
Key Experience:
- Combination of improvements within basin to reduce flooding
- Limit flooding for adjacent properties
- Reestablish natural
drainage patterns
Key Features:
- Utilized easements for
surface drainage and underground piping
through existing properties - Coordinated with USACE to modify an existing weir within the Big Sioux
Levee System
DGR Engineering (DGR) was hired by the City of Sioux Falls in 2016 to analyze and model 120 acres within the City that had experienced multiple flooding events in the recent past. Rain events had caused streets to flood which impacted adjacent private properties.
There was a natural drainage path that was filled in as the area was developed, and the existing storm drainage piping within the right-of-way was inadequate to handle the necessary flows. Furthermore, when the Big Sioux Levee system was built, the outlet for the drainage basin was controlled by piping and weirs, further limiting the discharge.
DGR presented multiple alternatives within the drainage analysis and ultimately the City decided to move forward with three options to improve the drainage and reduce the flood threat.
These options included: 1) Re-routing water further up the basin (at the corner of 46th Street and S. Western Ave.) to utilize existing piping that wasn’t flowing at full capacity. 2) Adding an overland flow channel and underground piping relief on the existing system between properties
(along S. Western Ave, north of 50th Street) to limit street and building flooding. 3) Modifying an existing weir within the Big Sioux Levee System to lower the maximum water elevation within the basin during rain events.
This combination of improvements and restoration of the natural drainage path provides a relief for flood water during rain events, thus reducing the impact to the adjacent properties.
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