Old South Haven Storm Water Improvements

Project Status & Timelines (UPDATED 10/17/22)

The Porter County Department of Development & Storm Water Management (Department) has undertaken an important effort to repair and reconstruct the storm water infrastructure serving Old South Haven, which is located in unincorporated Porter County, and is bound by US 6 to the north, SR 149 to the east, CR 700 N to the south, and McCool Rd. to the west. While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted our operations over the last year plus, we have continued our efforts to maintain, repair, and improve Porter County’s valuable road, bridge, and storm water infrastructure, and that certainly includes our efforts to repair and reconstruct the storm water infrastructure serving Old South Haven!

Construction of the Old South Haven Storm Water Improvements Project got underway in Nov. 2018. The improvements have been broken up into two phases; the projects included in Phase 1 include (project status in parentheses):

Northeast Storm Sewer Project (Complete)
South Central Storm Sewer Project (Substantially Complete)
Storm Sewer System Lining & Rehabilitation Project (Substantially Complete)
Squirrel Creek Diversion & Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project
- Phase 1 – Midway Dr. Detention Basin Expansion Project (Complete)
- Phase 2 – Squirrel Creek Diversion Project (Complete)
Baltimore Road Storm Sewer and Roadway Improvements (Complete)
Squirrel Creek Improvements Project (Engineering & Design)

Each of these projects presents its own unique challenges. Before construction could get underway, each project required the completion of its own specific construction plans and technical specifications (i.e., construction requirements), which were developed during the design and engineering phase, in coordination and collaboration with the qualified professional consultants selected to assist with the project. Such design and engineering work got underway in early 2018. Some of the projects required more intensive design and engineering, involving tasks including, but not limited to, establishing storm sewer structure rim and invert elevations, determining pipe sizing, developing storm sewer and storm sewer structure details and construction requirements, setting storm sewer structure (e.g., curb inlets, catch basins, manhole) locations, conducting roadway design (e.g., establishing geometric layout and pavement grade elevations), developing restoration details and construction requirements, and coordinating with utilities to resolve any conflicts between existing utilities and the proposed improvements. The storm sewer system lining & rehabilitation project, which included a somewhat unique scope of work, involved confirming the applicability of pipe lining, confirming pipe sizing and alignment, determining and developing construction requirements for the proper pipe lining method(s), setting access point (i.e., storm sewer structure) locations, and developing access point (i.e., storm sewer structure) details and construction requirements.

Additional information about the status of each of the projects is provided below.

Northeast Storm Sewer Project

The first of the projects to proceed to construction in Old South Haven was the Northeast Storm Sewer Project. This project is now complete!

Work began back in Nov. 2018 on the project, which was designed to address long-standing flooding, drainage, and road pavement condition issues in northeast Old South Haven, along Governor Rd. and adjacent roadways, including LaHonda Dr., Fox River Rd., Eagle Creek Rd., Devonshire Rd., Capitol Rd., and Baltimore Rd. The Northeast Storm Sewer Project, which was managed by the Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, designed by DLZ Indiana, LLC, and built by Grimmer Construction, Inc., serves the area generally bound by US 6 to the north, SR 149 to the east, Midway Dr. to the south, and Imperial Rd. to the west. The area has long suffered from flooding and drainage issues, especially Governor Rd. between Midway Dr. and LaHonda Dr.

The project included the installation of over one mile – 5,600 LF – of new reinforced concrete pipe storm sewers ranging in size from 18” to 54” under portions of Governor Rd., LaHonda Dr., Fox River Rd., Eagle Creek Rd., Capitol Rd., Baltimore Rd., and Acadia Rd. More than 100 new storm sewer structures, including more than 60 inlets were installed along the project reach to allow storm water runoff to enter the new storm sewer system instead of ponding on roads and in adjacent yards. Old, deteriorated corrugated metal pipe storm sewers serving the project area were abandoned in place and filled with grout to prevent future sinkholes and settlement over the old pipe.

Since the new storm sewers were installed under the roads, the project also included complete reconstruction of the right-of-way, including turf grass areas, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, driveway approaches, and roads, to not only address the flooding and drainage issues, but also long-standing road pavement condition issues. The result is a project that has not only updated the road and storm water infrastructure serving the area, but has completely transformed it. Several representative photographs of the project, at the time it reached substantial completion, are presented below.

#P18-042 – Governor Rd., looking south from near LaHonda Dr.

#P18-042 – Governor Rd. & Midway Dr., looking north from Governor Rd.

#P18-042 – Devonshire Rd., looking north from the project limits.

South Central Storm Sewer Project

The second project to proceed to construction in Old South Haven was the South Central Storm Sewer Project. The Department is happy to announce that this project is now substantially complete!

Work began back in Mar. 2020 on the project, which was designed to address long-standing flooding, drainage, and road pavement condition issues in south central Old South Haven, along CR 700 N, Juniper Rd., Pinewood Dr., and adjacent roadways, including Coventry Rd., Fremont Rd., Imperial Rd., and Heritage Rd. The South Central Storm Sewer Project, which was managed by the Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, was designed by American Structurepoint, Inc., and was built by Gough, Inc., serves the area generally bound by Midway Dr. to the north, Governor Rd. to the east, CR 700 N to the south, and Long Run Rd. to the west. The area has long suffered from flooding and drainage issues, especially Pinewood Dr. between Coventry Rd. and Fremont Rd.

The project included the installation of over one mile – 5,400 LF – of new reinforced concrete pipe storm sewers ranging in size from 18” to 48” under portions of Pinewood Dr., Juniper Rd., Heritage Dr., Imperial Dr., and CR 700 N. More than 60 new storm sewer structures, including more than 40 inlets were installed along the project reach to allow storm water runoff to enter the new storm sewer system instead of ponding on roads and in adjacent yards. Old, deteriorated corrugated metal pipe storm sewers serving the project area were abandoned in place and filled with grout to prevent future sinkholes and settlement over the old pipe.

The project also included the installation of eight small bioretention areas along the west side of Juniper Rd., north of CR 700 N. Although they were finished with turf grass, to make them easier for the property owners to maintain, the bioretention areas will receive storm water runoff from Juniper Rd. and reduce storm water runoff rates, volumes, and pollutant loads making their way into the storm sewer system.

The project also included enhancements to the downstream storm water infrastructure, including the enhancement of an existing detention basin located in Haven Hollow Park. Such enhancements included the addition of a retaining wall/landscaping feature to increase storm water storage and reduce storm water runoff rates making their way into Salt Creek, and the planting of native vegetation around the east end of the basin and the retaining wall/landscaping feature to help stabilize the shoreline of the basin and improve the ability of the basin to reduce storm water runoff volumes and pollutant loads making their way into Salt Creek.

At this point, all of the new storm sewer has been installed, all of the asphalt paving has been completed, and all pavement markings are now in place. We will be working with the contractor over the next few weeks to complete the final remaining punch list, restoration, and miscellaneous work items and to wrap up the project.

The Department believes that we have delivered yet another successful project that has not only addressed the flooding and drainage issues affecting the project area, but also (at least some of) the long-standing road pavement condition issues. Several representative photographs of the project, at the time it reached substantial completion, are presented below.

#P19-044 – Pinewood Dr. & Juniper Rd., looking west from Juniper Rd.

#P19-044 – CR 700 N & Juniper Rd., looking north from CR 700 N. Bioretention areas are located on west side of Juniper Rd. (left side of photograph).

#P19-044 – Fremont Rd., looking north from near CR 700 N.

#P19-044 – Looking north at new/enhanced detention area in Haven Hollow Park

Storm Sewer System Lining & Rehabilitation Project

The third project to proceed to construction in Old South Haven was the Storm Sewer System Lining & Rehabilitation Project. The Department is happy to announce that this project is now substantially complete!

This was the Department’s effort to perform trenchless, in-situ reconstruction of almost three miles – 15,075 LF – of storm sewers throughout Old South Haven through the cured-in-place pipe lining process. Work began on this project back in Apr. 2020 and continued throughout the year. Performing this work via trenchless methods allowed the Department to perform much needed repair and reconstruction of most of these storm sewers without using traditional “dig and replace” techniques through rear and side yards and without the associated impacts to trees, fences, sheds, landscaping, and other improvements that property owners have made throughout the years.

The cured-in-pipe lining process uses a liner (i.e., felt tube) that has been saturated with polyester resin. The liner is inserted into the storm sewer system through a storm sewer structure and then pulled through and fitted to the pipe. Once in place, steam is used to cure the resin. As the resin cures, it forms a tight-fitting, jointless, and corrosion-resistant pipe inside of the old, deteriorated pipe. The sketch below illustrates the process.

#P20-001 – Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining process

The cured-in-place pipe lining process requires that the storm sewers be mostly still intact in order to be able to successfully insert and install the liners. In cases where the pipe has fully deteriorated (e.g., bottom of the pipe has rusted completely away), the pipe needs to be replaced before it can be successfully lined. There were several of these “point repairs” that we had to conduct throughout the subdivision as part of the project – 734 LF – through more conventional “dig and replace” methods.

There was also the need for a significant amount of additional heavy cleaning to remove concrete, asphalt, and other difficult to remove debris from the storm sewers in order to prepare them for lining, particularly along the bottom of the pipe and at the pipe joints. You may recall that during the first half of 2019, the Department worked to clean and televise all of the storm sewers that were eventually lined as part of this project to confirm pipe size, alignment, and condition and to prepare them for this project. In mid-2019, that cleaning and televising work reached substantial completion, with nearly 300 tons of debris (!) having been removed from the storm sewers that were cleaned as part of the project. The debris removed from the storm sewers included typical storm sewer debris, but also a staggering amount of construction debris, including, but not limited to, broken concrete, broken asphalt, concrete block, brick, lumber, fence posts, and chain link fence. In the end, more than 40 LB/LF of debris (!) was removed from the storm sewers that were cleaned and televised as part of this project. A staggering amount of debris! This time around, the additional heavy cleaning was needed simply to finish removing the rest of this debris and to prepare the storm sewers for the lining process – and a lot less had to be removed!

The project also included the replacement of more than 100 storm sewer structures to replace poorly constructed and/or deteriorating existing structures and provide reliable access to the storm sewer system for future inspection and maintenance efforts.

The Storm Sewer System Lining & Rehabilitation Project was managed by the Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, was designed by Wessler Engineering, and was constructed by SAK Construction, Inc. At this point, all of the storm sewer system lining and rehabilitation work has been completed. We will be working with the contractor over the next few weeks to complete the final remaining punch list, restoration, and miscellaneous work items, including addressing differential settlement that has occurred around a number of the new storm sewer structures, and to wrap up the project.

#P20-001 – Steam curing of a CIPP Liner on Lond Run Rd., south of Midway Dr.

#P20-001 – Steam curing of a CIPP Liner on Long Run Rd., south of Midway Dr.

#P20-001 – Steam curing of a CIPP liner on Midway Dr., at Fox River Rd.

Squirrel Creek Diversion & Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project

Phase 1 – Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project

The fourth project to proceed to construction in Old South Haven was the first phase of this project, the Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project. This project is now complete!

Work began back in Aug. 2020 on the project, which included the expansion and enhancement of the existing detention basin located on Midway Dr., adjacent to South Haven Elementary School. The Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project, which was managed by the Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, was designed by Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., and was built by Dyer Construction, Inc., included expansion of the basin, the replacement of the detention basin’s outlet structure, creation of microtopography within the basin, planting of native vegetation within the basin, and the installation of storm sewer and storm sewer structures to convey storm water runoff into the basin and accommodate Phase 2 of the project (see below).

The project included the installation of over 200 LF of new reinforced concrete pipe storm sewers ranging in size from 12” to 54” under portions of Midway Dr. The small diameter storm sewer (i.e., 12”), including 3 inlets, to allow storm water runoff to enter the new storm sewer system instead of ponding on roads and in adjacent yards, was installed to convey storm water runoff into the basin. The large diameter storm sewer (i.e., 54”) was installed to accommodate Phase 2 of the project (below), which will intercept storm water runoff passing through Squirrel Creek and divert it north along McCool Rd. and then east along Midway Dr. to the newly expanded and enhanced detention basin to alleviate long-standing flooding and drainage issues in the area south and east of the intersection of Midway Dr. and McCool Rd.

Since the new storm sewers were installed under the roads, the project also included complete reconstruction of the right-of-way, including turf grass areas, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, driveway approaches, and roads, to not only improve the storm water infrastructure serving the area, but also long-standing road pavement condition issues. The result is a project that has not only updated the road and storm water infrastructure serving the area, but, like the other projects that the Department has completed in Old South Haven, has completely transformed it. Several representative photographs of the project, at the time it reached substantial completion or shortly thereafter, are presented below.

#P20-048 – Looking southwest at the Midway Dr. Detention Basin

#P20-048 – Looking northeast at the Midway Dr. Detention Basin

Phase 2 – Squirrel Creek Diversion

This project is currently underway!

Under a cooperative agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers, in which the US Army Corps of Engineers is contributing 75% of the construction costs associated with the project, the Department is installing more than 1,000 LF of 54” reinforced concrete pipe storm sewer under Midway Dr. and McCool Rd. in order to intercept storm water runoff passing through Squirrel Creek and divert it north along McCool Rd. and then east along Midway Dr. to the newly expanded and enhanced detention basin located adjacent to South Haven Elementary School (see above). The project was designed to address long-standing flooding and drainage issues in west Old South Haven, in the area south and east of the intersection of Midway Dr. and McCool Rd.

The project, which is being managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, was designed by Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. and is being built by de Boer Egolf Corp., serves the area generally bound by Midway Dr. to the north, Long Run Rd. to the east, Clear Creek Dr. to the south, and McCool Rd. to the west. The area has long suffered from flooding and drainage issues, especially Millport Dr. between McCool Rd. and Long Run Rd.

Work began on the project during the week of Apr. 26, 2021, and recent work on the project has included excavation, installation of the 54” reinforced concrete pipe storm sewer under Midway Dr., and backfilling of the trench back to existing grade. The photographs below show the 54” pipe staged along Midway Dr., ready for installation. Please check back here for additional updates on the project as it proceeds through construction.

#P20-097 – 54” RCP storm sewer staged for installation, looking west along Midway Dr.

Baltimore Road Storm Sewer & Roadway Improvements

This project is currently underway!

Work began in Mar. 2021 on the project, which was designed to replace, via traditional “dig and replace” techniques, a fully deteriorated section of 54” corrugated metal pipe storm sewer located on Baltimore Rd., between LaHonda Dr. and Baltimore Ct. This storm sewer segment serves at the outlet for the Northeast Storm Sewer (see above).

The Department had intended to perform trenchless, in-situ reconstruction of this storm sewer segment. However, during the process of cleaning and removing debris from the storm sewer to prepare it for the lining process, the storm sewer was found to be in poor, fully deteriorated condition. It needed to be replaced.

The project, which is being managed by the Porter Co. Dept. of Development & Storm Water Management, was designed by DLZ Indiana, LLC, and is being built by Gatlin Plumbing & Heating, Inc., serves the area generally bound by US 6 to the north, SR 149 to the east, Midway Dr. to the south, and Imperial Rd. to the west.

At this point, all of the new reinforced concrete pipe storm sewer has been installed, including over 700 LF of 54” storm sewer and 400 LF of 12” storm sewer. The small diameter storm sewer (i.e., 12”), including 10 inlets, to allow storm water runoff to enter the new storm sewer system instead of ponding on roads and in adjacent yards, was installed to convey storm water runoff into the storm sewer system.

Since the new storm sewers were installed under the roads, the project also includes complete reconstruction of the right-of-way, including turf grass areas, curbs and gutters, driveway approaches, and roads, to not only improve the storm water infrastructure serving the area, but also long-standing road pavement condition issues. Recent work on the project has included construction of the road base (i.e., 10” of compacted coarse aggregate, reinforced with geogrid) and the installation of concrete curb and gutters and driveway approaches. The photographs below show the construction of the road base and installation of the new concrete curb and gutter. Please check back here for additional updates on the project as it proceeds through construction.

#P20-131 – 54” RCP storm sewer staged for installation, looking south along Baltimore Rd.

#P20-131 – Installation of road base, including #53 stone and geogrid reinforcement, looking north along Baltimore Rd.

#P20-131 – Installation of new concrete curb and gutter, looking south along Baltimore Rd.

SUMMARY

Based on the current project status, projected construction dates for the projects included in Phase 1 of the Old South Haven Storm Water Improvements Project are presented below.

Northeast Storm Sewer Project – Fall 2018 to Fall 2020
South Central Storm Sewer Project – Spring 2020 to Spring 2021
Storm Sewer System Lining & Rehabilitation Project – Spring 2020 to Spring 2021
Squirrel Creek Diversion & Midway Drive Detention Basin Expansion Project
- Phase 1 – Midway Dr. Detention Basin Expansion Project – Summer 2020 to Fall 2020
- Phase 2 – Squirrel Creek Diversion Project – Spring 2021 to Fall 2021
Baltimore Road Storm Sewer and Roadway Improvements – Winter 2021 to Summer 2021
Squirrel Creek Improvements Project – Fall 2021 to Spring 2022

Old South Haven Storm Water Improvements

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