The Southern Pines Town Council approved $30,000 in new capital improvements at Pool Park during Mondays work session.

Three new retaining walls near the basketball court will replace the existing wood walls and new fencing will be installed at the baseball backstop.

As we continue to improve our parks, there were a few maintenance issues to bring forward. These are projects that our staff cannot do in house because they are more specialized, said Recreation and Parks Director Robert Reeve.

The retaining walls will be constructed with Diamond D block, a rough-hewn, natural looking concrete block that is frequently used in outdoor applications. The three walls will connect directly to the walking trail and will be stepped back slightly more than the existing retaining wall. Each wall will extend between 100 to 135 feet and plans calls for them to be spaced approximately six feet apart.

The top of the walls will be reinforced and will provide block seating, Reeve said. It will give an amphitheater-type look to serve the basketball court and will also provide more seating for the new performance stage.

Reeve said the new walls will create a cleaner, nicer look at the park and are in keeping with the towns multi-phased enhancement program for Pool Park. The project is anticipated to cost approximately $25,900 to install.

By putting in this type of structure, it will be secure and safe and look a lot better. It will also create a new function for the park, he said.

In addition, he recommended new fencing for the baseball backstop area, at an estimated cost of $4,000. The town will also use approximately $860 that was donated to the Pool Park fund by a local Boy Scout as part of his Eagle project.

We all express our appreciation to this young man for his generous donation, said Mayor Pro Tem Jim Simeon.

In other discussion on Monday, the Southern Pines Town Council:

* Considered a request to allow private businesses to use town-owned outdoor facilities. The discussion was raised when a local entrepreneur asked to conduct exercise classes at area parks. The town attempted to hire the woman so the business could operate as a recreation program offering but she opposed the differing fee structure set up for residents and non-residents. The other option is to pay a standard facility fee on a per hour basis.

We want to be fair to everybody and very consistent with how we run our programs based on our ordinance, Reeve said. If we have someone who wants to do a program that we feel could benefit the community, we want to work with them.

The town has traditionally restricted rental use of any facilities indoor spaces and outdoor areas to individuals and nonprofits.

One of the aspects we like about our parks is that people can rent a shelter for a birthday party. You have to balance that will how much you allow private (business) renters to come in and possibly take away those opportunities, Reeve said. We dont want to get in a situation where we have to decide that you can use it but you cant.

* Considered a request to amend the design standards for fuel stations in the towns Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The request is based on a proposed plan to construct a kiosk-style fuel station at the Harris Teeter store location at Mill Creek Village, near the corner of N.C. 22 and Airport Road.

There were some not-quite-anticipated hurdles with design and site work, said Assistant Town Manager Chris Kennedy. As we worked through this application, we ran into some issues with the UDO language.

Specifically, Harris Teeter is interested in building a small fuel station with an attended kiosk; however, current UDO regulations stipulate fuel station pumps should be screened behind the building and the roof line of the canopy must be lower than the building. This language is based on the typical, historical model of a fuel station with an attached convenience store.

In recent years, grocery stores have moved into the fuel business by opening up smaller, kiosk style stations as part of its integrated shopping center services. Examples already in place in the area include the Lowes Food fuel station at Morganton Park South and the Harris Teeter fuel station at Pinecroft Shopping Center in Taylortown.

It is difficult for a small building to screen pumps, as written in the code, versus a more traditional gas station, Kennedy said. We dont want people to think there is a special allowance. We want to make sure we are applying things correctly.There is always a rhyme and reason to why a code gets changes. Over time conditions change and the code has to apply to all kinds of nuance and there are certain situations that dont always fit.

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SP Approves Improvements at Pool Park - Southern Pines Pilot

Beginning on Monday, Park Street will be reduced to one travel lane to accommodate a $1 million retaining wall repair project expected to last around 12 weeks.

Vehicular traffic will be allowed to travel in the direction of downtown during the project, but access to Park Street will be from Center Street only and not from Exchange or State streets, the city of Bangors Engineering Department said Thursday in a news release.

The partial closure of Park Street is needed to allow for repairs to the 405-foot long Park Street hill retaining wall located directly behind City Hall.

The retaining wall was built about a century ago and hasnt been repaired since 1978, according to a 2015 evaluation of the wall done by the Bangor-based consultants FGS/CMT Inc., City Engineer John Theriault said in June.

While Theriault said at the time that the wall was not on the verge of collapse, it is showing breaking, cracking and tilting as well as extensive weather wear. Without repair, he said, the wall could become unstable and give way, putting part of the street at risk of collapse.

A team comprising Sargent Corporation, CES and Geostabilization International will be performing the repairs, which are likely to take about 12 weeks. Motorists are urged to drive safely within the work zone and observe all signage.

Businesses along Park Street will remain open throughout the project and on street parking will continue to be available along Park Street, city officials said.

Additionally, access to Bangor City Hall by the handicapped entrance will remain available throughout the project. Handicapped and mobility challenged parking will be available in the upper lot immediately adjacent to city hall.

City staff will provide updates throughout the project through the citys website, Facebook page and Twitter accounts and government access cable television channel.

The public can receive traffic alerts by subscribing to the Citys email notification services at http://www.bangormaine.gov/subscribe.

Any questions or concerns regarding this project should be directed to City Engineer John Theriault at 992-4249 or via email at john.theriault@bangormaine.gov.

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Park Street to be one-way travel during 12-week retaining wall ... - Bangor Daily News

MOLINE, Illinois (KWQC) Many drivers may be getting used to construction on John Deere road, but you may have noticed a new addition to the plan, a retaining wall being built alongside the road.

The Illinois department of transportation says not only is this a retaining wall, it will also be used to block out noise from the road. Some neighbors in the area aren't sure if the wall will benefit their community.

For 14 year Moline resident Tammy Reynolds, the wall seemed like a good idea until it was placed in her backyard.

"This wall is definitely, it kind of makes you feel like you live in a prison," said Tammy Reynolds.

But that's not her only concern; she thinks the wall is a safety hazard.

"When you pull out of my driveway there is no visual to traffic, or pedestrians walking either direction coming from the corner," said Reynolds.

Illinois DOT plans to stretch the wall east bound along John Deere for nearly a mile. The 20 foot wall is designed to send sound decibels 200 feet up and around the wall. IDOT officials say this is the best option for the community once the 3 lane traffic this added.

"Keep noise from penetrating and keep it quieter there for both neighborhoods that are on both sides there, It will definitely keep the road noise from John Deere road, it'll be a lot quieter," said Residential Engineer, Brian Holiday.

IDOT officials say they expect the wall to be completed by Mid-October.

Meanwhile, construction continues on John Deere road. The massive, six lane projects is expected to be completed in 2018.

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Community reacts to new retaining wall on John Deere road - KWQC-TV6

Water cascasdes off a retaining wall onto Freeway 59 in Texas in video captured on Facebook Live by Mikael Goteman. (Aug. 27)

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Virtual Waterfall on Texas Freeway - Olean Times Herald

Photo: istockphoto.com

Does your yard contain slopes, dips, and inclines? Then you likely have a retaining wall somewhere on your property. Used everywhere from highway construction to landscaping, retaining walls hold back earth that would otherwise erode or collapse. Homeowners often rely on retaining walls to keep soil steady in elevated yard features, but they can also use the manmade structures when planting tiered gardens on a sloped area of yard, controlling erosion on an incline, or creating an elevated sitting spot. If youre thinking about constructing a retaining wall, heres all you need to know about the supportive structures.

Retaining walls have a wide variety of uses around the yard, all of which involve keeping earth from spilling off a steep slope. Theyre indispensable in the creation of sunken patios, walkout basements, and any other hardscape with an abrupt separation of ground elevation. Youll also find retaining walls in parks and public gardens, where they act as retainers for plants, statues, and decorative landscaping elements.

Retaining walls are often constructed with concrete, stone,or bricks. But, if youre looking to undertake a do-it-yourself job, retaining wall blocks (available at most home improvement stores) are your best bet. These blocks cost between $1.25 and $4 per block, depending on their size and texture, and they feature locking flanges that attach each row of blocks together. A small retaining wall less than three feet in height will cost an average of $5 to $8 per square foot, if you build it yourself.Larger retaining walls, which are not DIY-friendly, are pricier due to the labor costs involved. A natural stone or brick retaining wall laid by a mason can cost upwards of $20 per square foot, and a poured concrete retaining wall will set you back $13 to $18 per square foot. The contractor may also charge more for labor and materials if he has to pour a deep frost footing (explained below) or remove tree roots that are in the way of the footing.

If youre planning to build a retaining wall, check with your local building authority beforehand. Retaining walls can alter water flow and affect your neighbors, so you may need to obtain either a zoning permit or a building permit. Local building codes and ordinances vary between communities, so dont skip this step. Youll also want to call DigSafe (811) to have representatives from local utility companies come out and check whether any buried electrical lines will be in the way.

Photo: istockphoto.com

If youre planning to construct a retaining wall, consider the following factors regarding support, foundation, backfill, and drainage.

SupportWhen building a retaining wall, landscapers often slope them slightly toward the earth theyre containing. This design, known as step-back construction, creates a sturdy wall structure that pushes back against the lateral pressure of the soil behind it. Step-back wallscan be built by anyone with a strong back and basic construction knowledge, as long as they have blocks designed for retaining wall assembly.

Some types of retaining walls require additional structural support to keep them from toppling over. This includes vertical walls that dont slope toward the contained earth, as well as walls higher than three feet. Depending on the height of the wall and the pressure of the earth behind it, the extra supports could be in the form of buried footings, steel reinforcement, cantilevered design, or tie-backs that extend deep into the earth behind the wall and connect to buried anchors called dead men. You could also add extra strength with a gravity wall, which is so wide that its weight serves as a buttress against the pressure of the soil behind it. This type of wall isnt common, however,because it requires an extensive amount of stone or concrete for construction.

FoundationA trench filled with gravel provides a suitable foundation base for a short, step-back retaining wall withthree-five courses (each layer of blocks is called a course). A buried structural footing is usually required for larger retaining walls. To create this, a landscaperpours concrete below frost level (the depth to which the ground will freeze during the winter). Footings poured too shallow are prone to shifting and moving if moisture in the soil freezes and heaves. Since frost levels vary from one region to the next, contact your local building authority to determine the details before building a large retaining wall.

Backfill The space directly behind a newly constructed retaining wall should be filled with gravel or sandnot dirt. Dirt absorbs water and swells when saturated, which will put unwanted pressure on the back of the wall. Meanwhile, gravel and sand dont swell or retain water, so the wall will be subjected to less pressure. This decreases the risk of cracks and damage.

Drainage DetailsStackable retaining block walls with gravel or sand backfills dont typically have drainage issues, since water seeps down through the backfill and drains out between the individual blocks. But if you have a solid retaining wall, such as a concrete basement wall, provisions must be made to drain away the water (or it might collect behind the wall and cause cracking). Many landscapers choose to install drainage tile, which carries groundwater to outlets where it can drain away harmlessly.

Photo: istockphoto.com

When building a retaining wall, follow this advice for betterconstruction and solid support.

Choose material you can work with easily. If you dont have experience in structural support, wall blocks are your best bet. Theyre also widely available at most home centers.To keep the bottom row of blocks from pushing outward, bury the lowest section of a retaining wall. The general rule of thumb is to bury about one-eighth of the height of the wall. For example, if your wall will be three feet (36 inches) tall, the first course of blocks should start five inches below soil level. The gravel base should start three inches below this.For best results, make sure the first course of blocks is perfectly level. If its unbalanced, your entire finished wall will also be off-kilter.

All of the Outdoor Design and DIY Tips from BobVila.comWith fair weather having arrived finally, its time to turn your home improvement efforts to the backyard and your deck, porch, or patiothe parts of the home built specifically to enjoy the extra hours of sunlight. Guided by these practical pointers and inspiring ideas, you can introduce beauty, comfort, and utility to your backyard and outdoor living areas, making them as inviting and enjoyable as your home interiors.

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All You Need to Know About Retaining Walls - BobVila.com

Tyler Mendez and Josh Myers had never met each other until someone vandalized a retaining wall.

On Friday, a social media post showing a vandalized wall at Oakridge Apartments, 1205 Angelique St., circulated on Facebook. On two walls, a racial slur and KKK were spray-painted. Mendez, who was playing video games when he saw the post, sprung into action.

I dont like seeing that. I dont like my son seeing that, Mendez said. Hes only 4 and it just spreads hate.

School busses drove by as the two men scrubbed at the wall. They brought their own tools for the cleanup.

He had the same idea as me and we just started scrubbing away, Mendez said about Myers.

Mendez lives by Central High School, and Myers lives in the Bartlett Park area. Myers said if everyone did their part, it would make an impact on the community.

I think it sends a message to the community that were not going to tolerate it, Myers said. Its inexcusable.

Mendez and Myers said that the recent fiery election has little to do with crimes like this and that such hateful sentiment existed before 2016. They both blamed the mainstream media for helping spread hate but stressed the importance of people working together to better their community.

Obviously we live in times where its kind of heated, so I think its just as important for us to scrub it off as it is for whoever felt like they needed to put it on here, Myers said.

Everybodys got to do their part and work together, Mendez said.

While the two men were there scrubbing the message away, maintenance workers with Oakridge Apartments took over with a tray of paint and some rollers. The apartment complexs manager said police were notified but didnt comment further on the incident.

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Two strangers scrub hateful graffiti from wall - News-Press Now

Gavin shares this latest news on behalf of Island Roads. Ed

Work is to begin shortly on a major scheme by Island Roads to repair and strengthen the wall that retains the footway along Whitepit Lane in Newport.

The scheme, which is scheduled to begin on 29th August and last approximately six weeks, is part of an ongoing programme of work by Island Roads to improve the condition of local authority structures mostly bridges and retaining walls across the Island this year.

The work at Whitepit Lane will involve removing sections of the concrete walls that are deteriorating. New concrete sections will be formed and, where appropriate, joints put in place to help prevent future cracking.

One-way system during worksIn order for the work to be undertaken as safely and quickly as possible, a one-way system from west to east will be put in place for vehicles along the entire length of Whitepit Lane.

This means that it will not be necessary to use temporary traffic lights to regulate traffic. Unfortunately, parking restrictions will also have to be put in place to allow us to carry out this work.

Helping to keep minimum disruption Island Roads structures manager, Ian Hodson, said,

Given the residential nature of this road, it is impossible to undertake the work without some inconvenience, but we hope the one-way arrangement we are putting in place will help keep disruption to a minimum.

As residents will know, the wall is in need of repair and this strengthening work will result in a structure that remains in good condition for many years to come.

Image: Island Roads

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Expect disruption during retaining wall works - On The Wight

Posted on 14 August 2017. Tags: boating accident, kingsland news, Lake LBJ

STAFF WRITER CONNIE SWINNEY

KINGSLAND Texas Parks and Wildlife Department investigators are reconstructing a suspected accident scene on Lake LBJ where a Kingsland man died following a boat crash Aug. 13.

According to the report, the incident happened sometime around 11 p.m. in the Rock Bluff subdivision just off CR 127 in Burnet County.

Russell B. Bowman Jr., 68, of Kingsland was reported as both the driver of the 20-foot boat and the victim of the collision.

Investigators said the boat crashed into a concrete retaining wall.

The victim sustained a severe head injury and apparent internal injuries, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department news release stated.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by Burnet County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Roxanne Nelson.

A 66-year-old female passenger in the boat was treated and released at the scene, the report stated.

Crews were scheduled to take measurements Aug. 14 to recreate the incident.

Were investigating what took place, Game Warden Cody Hatfield said.

connie@thepicayune.com

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Kingsland man dies after boat hits retaining wall on Lake LBJ ... - DailyTrib.com

By Brian Quinn

BELVIDERE Shovels will be going into the ground Tuesday to get the Park-and-Ride facility at the Crossroads Center underway, Allegany County officials said Friday.

The groundbreaking will be at 1 p.m. at the Crossroads Center, 6087 State Route 19.

With a grant through the Federal Transit Administration, improvements will include reconstruction of the existing driveway and parking lot, a new driveway to allow improved traffic flow and the addition of about 60 parking spaces. The work will also include new, dark-sky-compliant, outdoor LED lighting, enhanced landscaping, stormwater management practices and a new bus-stop area.

Thanks to the dedication and leadership of an active steering committee, state agencies and our consultant, we were able to secure funding through a grant from the Federal Transit Administration for a parking facility and to receive long-term safety and significant infrastructure improvements, said Ardent Solutions Mobility Management Planner Larry Kaminski. As another example of economic development initiatives within Allegany County, this project not only serves to improve and enhance existing infrastructure, but will also be an asset and catalyst to encourage future community development activities and ultimately facilitate long-term economic growth.

The county Public Works Committee on Aug. 2 approved awarding a bid for the Park-and Ride project to Nova State Company, which submitted the low bid of $621,606.

At the committee meeting, committee member Judy Hopkins asked whether the project is on target for completion by the end of October.

They (Nova representatives) believe that we have established an aggressive schedule, but they believe its doable. Thats what theyre telling us, Superintendent of Public Works Guy James replied. I think we can extend it a little bit. We dont want to go too far behind.

The blacktop plants are really the critical thing. Once they close, the availability of material, thats the problem, he said. You can put topsoil down later on after the blacktop plants close if you want to, but thats the real critical element that needs to be done.

In response to a question, James said blacktop plants usually close around Thanksgiving, so the project should be OK time-wise.

James noted the Park and Ride project has already been approved and that Public Works Committee approval is all the bid needs. He said this will enable the project to move ahead.

Were looking forward to getting that project going and getting dirt turned black up there, James said.

Kaminski said, All that I can add is its under our budgeted amount that we had anticipated.

Committee member Karl Graves asked if the Department of Public Works was familiar with Nova State Company.

They actually worked for us before. They did a small project, James said. It was the retaining wall on the exit ramp going out from the back parking lot. They did the gutter system, the curb, the gutter and the retaining wall and then the black fencing thats along there. They did a good job. Theyve done a lot of municipal work, so theyre familiar with the procedures that have to be done.

Hopkins asked if the project being under budget means there will be leftover money in the grant.

This isnt the only component of that budget. This is just the construction portion of it, James said. There was the design that we already paid for and then we have construction inspection the people who are doing the inspection of the work thats going to be done. All in all, its going to be very close.

Ill tell you better in a little bit whether theres going to be a surplus, he said.

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Park and Ride event slated for Tuesday - The Chronicle Express - Penn Yan Chronicle-Express (blog)

Retaining walls provide lateral support to vertical slopes of soil. They retain soil which would otherwise collapse into a more natural shape. The retained soil is sometimes referred to as backfill.

Retaining walls can be constructed of many different materials and with a variety of building techniques. This discussion will focus on rigid, monolithic, poured concrete walls as the structural material, but steel, timber, and reinforced soil are often used too.

This retaining wall discussion will focus on walls that are constructed from the bottom up and where a stable backslope exists (at least temporarily) prior to wall construction. With poured concrete retaining walls, backfill is placed between the wall and the slope after the wall is constructed.

Concrete Retaining Wall Information

This discussion will talk about the walls themselves, their design and some important construction considerations. It will not talk about groundwork or compaction, since these are entire topics on their own right. Designers and builders of any kind of retaining wall should be familiar with and follow the procedures and methods for soil preparation and backfill compaction methods dictated by the appropriate local building codes.

Read more:
Retaining Wall Design - The Concrete Network