The scene from Darrell Dufresne’s porch. (All photos by Dufresne except as noted)
By Charles Layton
The people who live along Broadway, and who endured the worst of a flash flood on Wednesday, were full of questions on Thursday.
Some had begun to insist that the Township and/or its contractor had made mistakes in the design and/or implementation of their ambitious storm drainage project, which has been going on for months all down the length of Broadway, and which had been intended to relieve the area’s persistent flooding problem.
Wednesday’s flood was, by many neighbors’ accounts, even worse than those before the new underground drain system was put in place this summer. Cars were flooded above the bottoms of their doors, and the water rose higher up the foundations of houses than has been seen before. (Admittedly, Wednesday’s downpour was unusually severe.)
Some of the neighbors were saying that the contractor had partially blocked off an underground drain pipe on the north side of Broadway, near its intersection with Central Avenue, and that this had caused the rain water to back up and overflow.
Darrell Dufresne, who lives near that drain, said he had noticed the problem during construction. He said that after the new drain pipe had been installed there, its top portion had been cut off and a sewerage pipe from one of the houses had been allowed to cut through it. Then the top part of that drain pipe had been sealed with concrete. He estimated that as much as 60 percent of that pipe’s water carrying capacity had been blocked due to this procedure.
This photo, taken during construction, is of that portion of the main storm drain pipe that, according to Darrell Dufresne, has a serious flaw. The concrete that covers part of the pipe marks where a sewage line crosses the storm drain pipe at a right angle, perhaps blocking more than half of that pipe.
Dufresne, who is an electrical engineer and a consultant with more than 50 years of experience, said he had tried repeatedly to warn Township officials about that problem, but that no one listened. He is convinced that this damming of the street’s main underground storm pipe contributed to the severity of Wednesday’s flooding.
This is one of the new drains that seems prone to clogging. Photo by Charles Layton
Another neighbor, Connie Ogden, said another problem seemed to involve the new drains at the corner of Beach and Broadway. Those drains seem susceptible to being clogged by debris carried by the water as it goes streaming down the street along the curbs. She was one of those who went out during the storm to pull away the debris that was blocking those drains.
This problem of debris on the drains has occurred twice this summer during sudden storms, and neighbors are wondering whether they will now be required on a regular basis to go out during thunderstorms and scrape away debris with their bare hands to prevent flooding. If so, they say, that would seem to indicate a design problem with those drains. Ogden said the previous system, which included cuts in the curbs leading into the underground drains, had seemed to work better than the supposedly improved new system.
These drains are at the corner where the Sea Spray Inn is located. The Sea Spray Inn has had a basement apartment flooded five times during this summer alone. One of its owners, Mary Ellen Tellefsen, said that Wednesday’s flooding was “worse than what happened with Hurricane Irene.”
On Thursday, Blogfinger tried without success to reach the Township’s engineering department to ask about the issues raised by Broadway residents. However, in an email on Thursday evening, Deputy Mayor Eric Houghtaling promised that the Township would soon respond to all of our questions, but that he wanted to make sure they were answered correctly. “Like [with] any new system, there are some things that have to be worked out and maybe corrected,” he told us. “We will persevere.”
Broadway, looking from north to south. Worse than ever?
I don’t see how the drainage problem would INCREASE the level of flooding. They haven’t removed any drainage solutions that existed before the project, and the system isn’t hooked in to the outfall yet so the storm drains wouldn’t drain anywhere once they fill with water
Also, if 60 percent of that pipe is blocked, that would assume that the sewer pipe is a 1 to 1.5 foot pipe. Sanitary sewer is usually 6-8 inch from house to main, then 12 inch locally. Now there are some 24 inch under 33, but I highly doubt 60 percent of that pipe is blocked, more then half the pipe?
A lot of work continues on this project, so hopefully it is premature to call it a failure. We deserve some answers, and I think it is prudent for the Township to respond when they think they know what they are talking about. I wish I could be more confident that there will be a good outcome. Look what happened with the Middle School. Hopefully we will not suffer the same ineptitude with the drainage project. This project has taken years of requests and planning. We pay so much and get so little from Neptune Township, and are entitled to have this project successfully completed.
Bullets — I’m wondering what is the source of your information? People in the Township government? If so, I sure wish they would share the same information with me, because I waited all day trying to get them to talk about this stuff. So did other residents of Ocean Grove. We’re all ears.
However, if you are right that the outfall to the lake isn’t hooked up yet, does that not seem a backwards approach — to build the entire system draining water into that area of Broadway and only afterward, as the final step, connect it into the lake?
WOW. This Deputy Mayor has much to learn. First of all the engineer for the township SHOULD be overseeing the whole project. There is nothing to work out once the pipes are laid and pitched, and filled in.
The water flow is all to be checked during construction by using the proper pitch, and for millions of dollars there is no excuse. I hope there was a bond utilized by the township. How do you find the problem anyway once everything has been filled? What a mess.
The first photo shows the ribbed pipe from the storm drain going into a square concrete box. The two pipes carrying the water to the lake are only a couple of feet away. It is a simple concept: water from drain into the concrete box, water goes out to lake via two pipes on the south side of the box. Simple enough in concept but the engineering and perhaps construction are open to question after this first major test did not go so well.
We would like to know the real story about what is really happening with the Broadway Drainage Project. We have been told so many different stories that we cannot keep track of them. People are blaming the contractor, the township, the OG Sewer Authority, the engineers, etc. What are the real problems and how do we fix them? I am under the impression that if we do not get this project done by September that we lose some of the funding for this project. Is that true? Also, was the lake lowered at the appropriate time when this big rain storm hit on Wednesday? Was that part of the problem?
It looks like there have been big mistakes on this project and someone needs to fess up to these mistakes and fix them. The residents of this area have been so patient even though they have been flooded numerous times, they have lived in a war zone looking area, they have lost parking spaces for the summer, they have lost a playground for the summer, they have dealt with the noise, but we always looked toward the light at the end of the tunnel. There is no light at the end of this tunnel based upon what happened on Wednesday. We want one story about what is really going on with this project and then we would like to go forward with resolving the real problems so we can finally live a normal life in our homes that we pay very high taxes on. Give us answers.
As for answers – I believe the Township owes us a comprehensive status report on the project. What is the projected completion date? Does the contract have performance standards based on drainage and absence flooding? Is the funding secure? Is there a performance bond? What happens if effective drainage does not occur as expected? Who was responsible reviewing the proposals and project oversight?
If this project is a failure, can we expect years of litigation while the street floods? I’m not optimistic.
I talk to the guys who are actually doing the work. They have been totally open about what’s going on. I bribe them with cold water in the afternoon, hot coffee in the morning
They have said the biggest delay was the unmarked sanitary sewer, which they understandably won’t touch.
This whole project is backwards. You would think the outfall and Broadway would have been first, then move up Central to Main.
Our house is on Broadway and all I can say, and have been saying for over 40 years is: Row Row Row your Boat!!!!!
Can anyone comment on how bad the flooding was on the south side of Broadway between Pilgrim Pathway and New York Avenue as a result of the flash flood last Wednesday?
I live on Broadway’s north side, close to Pilgrim, and would guess that sedans (not high riding trucks or SUV’s) parked on south side likely were taking in water on the passenger side. I was parked at Pilgrim&Abbott corner and water came in both sides of my car.
We saw what just occurred and can happen again with the sudden popup storms we have been seeing this summer. Do you think the Township would put a plan in place to mitigate this beforehand. After the horse is out of the barn, it seems a little too late. They should have the equipment (pumps, manpower and anything else they need ready to be used when they hear that the weather could turn nasty and dangerous. Township Officials are great when it is over or when they explain how this has been delayed and the reasons why, and knowing that it can and probably will happen, get the plan together and explain what you will do beforehand. If it don’t work at least you tried and the people know that something happened or that you attempted to at least try to alleviate the problem.
I bought a pump 20 years ago when my cellar flooded. Rarely use it but the peace of mind is reassuring.