The bridge contractor (and Mark Englerth) said there would be springs under the old culverts, and now that the tubes have been removed, by golly, there they are!
I am standing on the NE intersection of the Cuddy and Patterson, looking south. There’s a sheet-piling “dam” in the center of the picture – this is the downstream side, where the Cuddy leaves the pumping system upstream, intended to keep the work area dry for the box culvert placement
Here’s our Bridge (it was gently explained to me by one of the workers that this is a “Box Culvert” – a bridge is a bridge, like you see over the Grand River). The 2 long narrow rectangles are the support structures; the taller piece behind them, is the box culvert turned on its opening.
Now I’m on the NW corner, looking back toward the east. This hole is where the old culverts used to be; and it’s supposed to be dry, thanks to another sheet-piling dam upstream and 3 massive diesel pumps that are moving the Cuddy’s water around the worksite. But as you can see, the Cuddy is creating a nice little lake, from springs on the north and south sides, plus to the west. Well, crud.
This is one of those things that was known, but of course you never know the extent until you open everything up. So the bottom line is that the work is moving along – but not as fast as everyone had hoped. The latest word is that AT&T should have moved a utility line today; the box culvert should be placed either this Friday, or early next week (I’m guessing it depends on how the pesky springs cooperate?). They hope to pave the week of the 21st; and hopefully the road will open a week later?
Don’t shoot me – I’m just the messenger (with the same muddy car as the rest of Gun Lake’s residents….LOL!) The great news is that the forecast for the next 8 days is for mostly-DRY weather!!
Friends of the Cuddy Drain 