Alignment of Bee Branch Creek Restoration ProjectTHE CITY OF
Dui
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Alignment of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
DATE: September 12, 2013
Dubuque
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AI- America City
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2007 • 2012 • 2013
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending a change to the alignment of the Bee
Branch Creek Restoration Project where it crosses the railroad property at 506 Garfield
Avenue.
In 2001 the Drainage Basin Master Plan was adopted. It identified the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project as one of the improvements necessary to provide flood
protection for 1,150 properties within the Bee Branch Watershed.
Prior to reviewing the remaining recommendation I will show a 10- minute video.
In December of 2004, the City Council adopted a resolution establishing the alignment
of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project based on the work and recommendation of
the Bee Branch Citizen Advisory Committee. The adopted alignment crosses a railroad
yard at 506 Garfield Avenue.
Per the adopted alignment, the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project is to cross the
railroad property in such a way that it would impact the railroad in three ways: the
railroad would permanently lose the use of their current yard office, the railroad would
temporarily lose the use of various tracks during construction of the City's project, and
the railroad would have to permanently operate trains over a new bridge (or culvert).
When working through the design details of the City's project and trying to address the
various issues associated with the railroad operation, it has become clear that it is not
feasible to cross the railroad yard following the adopted alignment. The primary reason
has to do with keeping the yard operational during construction of the City's project.
While it might seem innocuous to shut down one track, it actually affects the use of
hundreds of miles of track so that a track out of operation for a single day results in
significant ramifications to the railroad and interstate commerce. Crossing at the current
alignment would also preclude the railroad from using all of the yard tracks as multiple
switches would be temporarily removed making it impossible to utilize sidings. The
current alignment also poses additional complications for the railroad relating to the
relocation of their yard office. These complications would translate into delays to the
City's project.
Therefore, the City's engineering design team has looked at alternative approaches to
crossing the railroad property to minimize disruption to the railroad operation, reduce
the City's overall project cost, and ensure that the next phase of the City's Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project can move into construction as planned in the spring of 2014.
Two design changes were identified.
First, the design team developed the concept of boring 9.5 -foot diameter culverts under
the railroad tracks versus conventional trench excavation methods. Boring large
diameter culverts under railroad tracks is not uncommon; it has been done recently in
both Iowa and Wisconsin. The concept was presented to Canadian Pacific (CP) and
they indicated that in some ways the approach is preferable as it would have very little
impact to the railroad operation during the installation of the culverts. Second, the
design team shifted the alignment of the proposed culverts to the west to shorten the
length of the railroad crossing. Once outside the CP track corridor, the culverts can be
installed using conventional excavation methods. The alignment shift will also allow the
railroad continued use of the existing yard office.
The first and most important aspect of changing the alignment and installing culverts
under the railroad tracks versus the construction of a bridge is how the culverts would
function in terms of flood control. The City's design engineer, Strand & Associates
(Strand) looked at the proposed culvert system using a comprehensive, dynamic
computer model (SWMM) developed by the EPA and used by scientists, engineers, and
managers for analysis and design of stormwater management systems. The models
use over the last twenty five (25) years has made it one of the most reliable and well -
used simulation software programs in the world. They also used HEC -RAS, a hydraulic
computer model developed and used by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to
affirm their findings. Strand determined that the proposed culvert system will perform
slightly better than the proposed bridge as the depth of water immediately upstream of
the proposed culvert system.
The proposed culvert system alignment still requires an easement through CP property.
But because the installation of the culverts will have very little impact to the operation of
the railroad, the acquisition of the easements can be accomplished within the typical
eminent domain timeframe. Installation of the culvert system could start in the spring of
2014.
The alignment shift will require a small easement through 525 E. 19th Street and the
acquisition of at least a portion of 430 Garfield Avenue (Dubuque Furniture & Flooring).
As outlined with the proposed FY2014 budget, "The cost estimates for the options
currently being considered range from $10,279,000 to $19,406,000." The $10.3 million
option represents the re- aligned culvert system. These costs include property
acquisitions, engineering, and construction.
2
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Jennifer Larson, Budget Director
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer
3
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: September 12, 2013
RE: Alignment of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
INTRODUCTION
Dubuque
All- America cttr
2007 • 2012 • 2013
The purpose of this memorandum is to seek approval to change the alignment of the
Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project where it crosses the railroad property at 506
Garfield Avenue.
BACKGROUND
In 2001 the Drainage Basin Master Plan was adopted. It identified the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project as one of the improvements necessary to provide flood
protection for 1,150 properties within the Bee Branch Watershed.
In May of 2003, the City of Dubuque City Council approved the selection of CDM, a
consulting engineering firm, to provide engineering and design services for the Bee
Branch Creek Alignment Study. The study objectives were to:
• Establish the optimum alignment for the proposed open waterway along its
approximately 4,500 -foot length (from 16th Street detention basin to 24th and
Elm Streets) based on existing environmental, utility, social, and economic
constraints;
• Provide a preliminary design to a level that it establishes what the waterway will
look like at different locations along its entire length and how the waterway will
function before, during, and after rainstorms of different magnitudes; and
• Work with impacted residents in the form of a citizen advisory committee, the
Bee Branch Citizen Advisory Committee (BBCAC), to ensure that the
recommended alignment location and waterway design are based on input from
the neighborhoods impacted by the proposed open waterway.
The citizen committee's preferred alignment was presented to the City Council in a letter
from BBCAC Chairperson Charles Winterwood. The BBCAC's preferred alignment was
chosen because it best met the top three criteria established by the BBCAC: it
preserved commercial and non - commercial services; it minimized residential property
acquisitions; and it minimize the project cost. The preferred alignment impacted sixty -
five (65) residential homes and fifteen (15) non - residential buildings.
In December of 2004, the City Council adopted a resolution establishing the alignment
of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project based on the work and recommendation of
the Bee Branch Citizen Advisory Committee. The adopted alignment crosses a railroad
yard at 506 Garfield Avenue.
DISCUSSION
Per the adopted alignment, the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project is to cross the
railroad property in such a way that it would impact the railroad in three ways: the
railroad would permanently lose the use of their current yard office, the railroad would
temporarily lose the use of various tracks during construction of the City's project, and
the railroad would have to permanently operate trains over a new bridge (or culvert).
When working through the design details of the City's project and trying to address the
various issues associated with the railroad operation, it has become clear that it is not
feasible to cross the railroad yard following the adopted alignment. The primary reason
has to do with keeping the yard operational during construction of the City's project.
While it might seem innocuous to shut down one track, it actually affects the use of
hundreds of miles of track so that a track out of operation for a single day results in
significant ramifications to the railroad and interstate commerce. Crossing at the current
alignment would also preclude the railroad from using all of the yard tracks as multiple
switches would be temporarily removed making it impossible to utilize sidings. The
current alignment also poses additional complications for the railroad relating to the
relocation of their yard office. These complications would translate into delays to the
City's project.
Therefore, the City's engineering design team has looked at alternative approaches to
crossing the railroad property to minimize disruption to the railroad operation, reduce
the City's overall project cost, and ensure that the next phase of the City's Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project can move into construction as planned in the spring of 2014.
Two design changes were identified.
First, the design team developed the concept of boring 9.5 -foot diameter culverts under
the railroad tracks versus conventional trench excavation methods. Boring large
diameter culverts under railroad tracks is not uncommon; it has been done recently in
both Iowa and Wisconsin. The concept was presented to Canadian Pacific (CP) and
they indicated that in some ways the approach is preferable as it would have very little
impact to the railroad operation during the installation of the culverts. Second, the
design team shifted the alignment of the proposed culverts to the west to shorten the
length of the railroad crossing. Once outside the CP track corridor, the culverts can be
installed using conventional excavation methods. The alignment shift will also allow the
railroad continued use of the existing yard office.
The first and most important aspect of changing the alignment and installing culverts
under the railroad tracks versus the construction of a bridge is how the culverts would
function in terms of flood control. The City's design engineer, Strand & Associates
(Strand) looked at the proposed culvert system using a comprehensive, dynamic
computer model (SWMM) developed by the EPA and used by scientists, engineers, and
managers for analysis and design of stormwater management systems. The models
use over the last twenty five (25) years has made it one of the most reliable and well -
used simulation software programs in the world. They also used HEC -RAS, a hydraulic
computer model developed and used by the USACE to affirm their findings. Strand
determined that the proposed culvert system will perform slightly better than the
proposed bridge as the depth of water immediately upstream of the proposed culvert
system.
The proposed culvert system alignment still requires an easement through CP property.
But because the installation of the culverts will have very little impact to the operation of
the railroad, the acquisition of the easements can be accomplished within the typical
eminent domain timeframe. Installation of the culvert system could start in the spring of
2014.
The alignment shift will require a small easement through 525 E. 19th Street and the
acquisition of at least a portion of 430 Garfield Avenue (Dubuque Furniture & Flooring).
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend shifting the alignment of the proposed Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project near Garfield Avenue and as outlined in Attachment A.
BUDGET IMPACT
As outlined with the proposed FY2014 budget, "The cost estimates for the options
currently being considered range from $10,300,000 to $19,400,000." The $10.3 million
option represents the re- aligned culvert system. These costs include property
acquisitions, engineering, and construction.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request that the City Council adopt the attached resolution adjusting the
alignment for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project as shown in Attachment A.
Prepared by Deron Muehring
Attach.
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer
RESOLUTION NO. 291 -13
ADJUSTING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BEE BRANCH CREEK RESTORATION
PROJECT
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 491 -04 approving the establishment
of the entire alignment of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project in the City of
Dubuque; and
WHEREAS, and the City Council deems that it is in the best interest of the City to
adjust the alignment of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project as shown in
Attachment A.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The alignment of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project, as shown in
Attachment A, be amended.
Passed, approved and adopted this 16th day of September, 2013.
Attest:
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D/f,,
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
ATTACHMENT A
Adopted Alignment
Adjusted Alignment