Finding out village council members were going to talk about North Shore new bridge’s turbidity curtain gave some nearby residents a reason to attend their meeting on Aug. 11.
Homeowners told the Lake Orion Council there is so much soil erosion going at the site that some boats are having problems getting into the main part of the lake.
“Boats going through are scraping bottom,” Doug Warzecha said. “The barrier they put up has been gone for a week, but the one that was there wasn’t installed properly.”
Residents who have property on the canal were promised when the bridge project began earlier this summer that access to the lake would be kept open.
Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment’s Jon Kangas, the engineer in charge of constructing the new bridge, was asked to attend the meeting to explain why his company was asking for an additional $3,150 to pay for the curtain.
Council members felt the cost of the curtain should have been included in the original bid for the work.
A turbidity curtain helps keeps dirt and sediment out of the water.
Kangas said he was first told by the Oakland County Drain Commission he didn’t have to put the curtain across the channel. Later he was told it had to be put on the sides of the channel.
By the time the soil erosion permit arrived it was only two days before bids were due on the bridge project. It was decided to add the cost of the curtain later, as a change order.
“I brought it up at the preconstruction meeting. It was a brief conversation.” Kangas said.
“You should have put it in writing,” council president Bill Siver said.
According to Kangas, he didn’t have any information about the turbidity curtain being removed. He usually only visits the site once a week.. Kangas said it is supposed to be there until restoration of the site was done.
“The contractor is responsible for cleaning up any sand and erosion. The curtain will be back, installed and done properly,” he added. “I’ll tell the contractor to dredge as soon as possible.”
The homeowners hadn’t contacted the village hall about any of their complaints, but had talked to the OHM inspector who is on the site daily.
“I don’t understand,” Keith Campbell said. “The inspector was there, but why wasn’t someone from the (village) hall there. He added that there were other spots where erosion was taking place.
“That’s why we have an inspector. We don’t know about bridges,” Siver said.
According to LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel, when she receives calls she does go out to the site. “I got a call and I was out there this morning (Aug. 11).
Bridge construction is expected to be done by Labor Day.