About the author:
Winner profiles were compiled by SWS Managing Editor Katie Johns and Associate Editor Cristina Tuser. Johns can be reached at [email protected] and Tuser can be reached at [email protected].
Katie Johns & Cristina Tuser
undefinedLocation: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Cost: $775,000
Size: 0.35 acres
Owner: City of Rock Hill
Manager: David F. Dickson
Designer: Matt Crawford & Keck & Wood
Contractor: City of Rock Hill
Manufacturer: Caterpillar & Freightliner
Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the College Avenue Improvement Project assisted with mitigating downstream flooding and bank erosion that occurred along the section of stream between College and Charlotte avenues. The design engineer (Keck & Wood), the city, and Lindsay Precast were involved with the project.
Issues reported downstream of the watershed were overbank flooding of residential yards and one basement, bank erosion, trash and debris in the creek, and trees dying and falling into the creek.
A key component of this project is that it was built by in-house crews and no outside contractors were involved. The crews replaced pipes and installed a detention basin, using trash racks to capture debris from upstream.
The crew also dealt with weather challenges. During and after rainfall events, the creek and pond would swell and the excavated areas would become saturated, which caused project delays.
Unsuitable soils and groundwater were also encountered throughout the majority of the project, which resulted in washed stone and suitable soils from offsite being brought in for use.
“Since completion of the project, several large storm events have hit the area and the detention pond appears to be functioning effectively,” said Project Owner and Manager David F. Dickson, PE, City Engineer III, Public Works.
