Faced with terrain that will result in a concentrated area of drainage from the Point Road Bike Path, Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission Chairman John Rockwell pointed to two options during MOSAC’s September 5 Zoom meeting: Use forced infiltration to lose some of the stormwater between the path and the road, and another strategy to divert the water away from the familiar landing spots.
“We don’t have a lot to work with, but something’s better than nothing,” said Rockwell. “If we can split that up a little bit and use some forced infiltration, that’ll help.”
Rockwell recently went out to the Point Road Bike Path and marked every 50 feet and described every 50 feet what needs to be done with fill, also noting where water is coming on the road and going off the path.
Rockwell told MOSAC members that the big challenge is, along the 2,738 feet length, there are two low spots on the road (one is taken 1,250 feet of road drainage, the other 750 feet). The challenge is to break those up a little bit so it’s not all going in one spot.
The path has been staked out, some fill has been placed between the layout and the road and elevation will be added to the path in many areas.
A base coat will be topped with a 3-inches-thick surface coat.
“We’ll have an area that will basically act like a dam, and what we want to do is put pipes underneath that,” said Rockwell, the premise being prevention of a hard rain from backing up the drainage.
The next step is to figure out where to place the piping. Rockwell will discuss with a contractor the kind of piping to use. A 12-inch diameter is a standard minimum, otherwise clogging is likely. It’s vital to avoid crushing the pipe during the compacting of the surface.
MOSAC member Marc Sylvia asked how deep the pipes should be submerged. Rockwell says the challenge is achieving daylight on both ends, noting that the downhill side of the pipe is the Joanne Drive side. The pipe on that side has to be at or above grade, and the pipe must be pitched in that direction.
The build-up of the path could reach 8 inches above the present elevation of the path area, so a pipe could run far enough underneath the surface to be protected from impacts.
MOSAC member Kitty DeGroot sought clarification on if a minimum 7 feet between the bike path and the road will be maintain over its length. Rockwell said the recommended minimum is 7 feet, but an allowable minimum is 5 feet. Cutting the path around trees will require 5-foot distance in some spots.
DeGroot also asked about funding for the next phase of the project. Rockwell said, “We have money for it.”
As for a timeline, Rockwell said his spec work is based on time available. He referenced a conversation with the Select Board in which he outlined interruptions to his path-related tasks. “If anybody’s out in TV land who’d like to help, we can probably fit in some assistance hours,” said Rockwell, advising any prospective volunteers to call the Town House.
The next meeting of the Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission was not scheduled upon adjournment.
Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission
By Mick Colageo