A rainy spell in July, 2015 proved too much for a 40+ year old corrugated metal pipe (CMP) culvert located on S. Jackson Rd in Sarasota County, FL. The pipe’s connection to an adjacent concrete headwall decayed, causing the pipe to pull away from the headwall. The gap allowed sediment to enter the interior of the pipe and resulted in flooding sufficient to wash away part of the road, requiring road closure and emergency repair.
Jackson Road is a major collector that connects two major arterial roadways, Venice Avenue and Center Road. It provides direct access to the Venetian Falls community as well as Sarasota County’s Solid Waste Facility and a major employer in the area, and also serves as an alternative to two major thoroughfares for residents of local communities.
The $240,000 repair project on Jackson Road included replacing both concrete headwalls, replacing the pipe system, and elongating the pipe to allow for a wider roadway section. County Materials’ plant in Astatula, FL, supplied 58”x91” elliptical reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) to replace the original 54”x60” metal pipe. Three sections of 48” RCP were also supplied to connect the pipe to the existing structure. The increase in capacity, along with the superior durability of RCP, are expected to prevent future flooding issues in the area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lists the life expectancy of concrete pipe at 75 to 100 years. It is not uncommon for RCP to continue providing safe and satisfactory service well past the 100 year mark. By choosing RCP to replace the failed metal drainage pipe on this project, Sarasota County is hoping to avoid having to take reactive emergency action in the future. “Reinforced concrete pipe was chosen based on its projected lifespan in the acidic, saline soil conditions that exist in the area; corrugated metal pipe was not considered an option,” commented Sarasota County Storm Water Engineering & Operations Manager Ben Quartermaine, P.E., adding that they are now aggressively monitoring and rehabilitating corrugated metal pipe all over the County to avert this same type of failure.
Traffic was immediately re-routed after the Jackson Road failed the last week in July 2015. County officials determined that any traffic on the busy county road caused an unsafe environment both for residents and the contractor. The roadway was kept closed for the remainder of the construction project, primarily as a safety precaution. Jackson Rd. was reopened to traffic during the last week in September following the successful RCP installation.