In August of 2019, the Cypress Street Outfall project broke ground near downtown Tampa, FL after nearly three years of planning, measuring, calculating, and negotiating—which is the nature of this type of job. The Design-Build project, composed of Woodruff & Sons Inc. and Tetra Tech, collaborated with Oldcastle Infrastructure to design a series of custom infrastructure solutions, with the goal to create drainage relief in a neighborhood where it previously did not exist. Historically, this area floods several times per year and up to 3 feet of water sits in the street with nowhere to run off, in addition to disrupting local businesses and residents, this is both dangerous and unsanitary.
This project elevates the neighborhood up to 2020 standards and provides the locals with fresh, cityscape streets that will ease and promote pedestrian travel for many years to come. Oldcastle Infrastructure expected a few challenges to be thrown in the mix, especially during a project of this scale. A manufacturer’s job is to be nimble, prepare for the unexpected, and evolve to stay on track with timelines. One thing that simply could not have been anticipated was the impact of the novel coronavirus and the global COVID-19 pandemic we are all currently experiencing.
Fortunately, the impact of the pandemic on the Cypress Street Outfall project has not affected timelines as severely as it could have. COVID-19 has proven to be a moving target and it has been difficult for all industries to adapt. With construction and infrastructure considered essential, those involved in this project had to take precautions in every way possible to protect employees and contractors and stay on schedule. Woodruff & Sons Inc. has a strong crew manning the project onsite, and during this time of uncertainty, their expertise and determination have shone through. Despite the unexpected challenge of the pandemic, they have made sure the project doesn’t fall behind on deadlines and showed a commitment to the city while striking a balance of still prioritizing the health and safety of the team.
Project Materials and Progress
Prior to breaking ground in August 2019, the custom framework Oldcastle Infrastructure created was well underway for a few years. Structures for this project consist of a variety of custom precast catch basins and curb/throat inlets, dual vortex separators, filtration structures, box culverts, area drains, and reinforced concrete pipes to name a few. Precast curb inlet tops are also being utilized for the first time in the city of Tampa. These specially designed inlets will be responsible for directing stormwater from the curb-line of the road into the underground box culverts, which then empty nearby into the Hillsborough River.
The process of mapping out the groundwork is known for being tedious and lengthy. With each drainage system, the team must consider the size and makeup of the underground structure, as well as the connection to the water management portion of the individual project. With dozens of structures in a single project, this part of the project is not simple. A while ago, the City of Tampa installed a box culvert from the Hillsborough River to provide future flooding relief, with the goal to one day connect it to an updated water drainage system. That box culvert is the cornerstone of this project: all of Oldcastle’s solutions were created to reach it in the most efficient way possible while resolving numerous issues at the same time. The custom culverts were decided on in order to facilitate design by the engineers of record that would carry heavy rainfall water into the culvert and away from the previously flooding neighborhood. The previous system is outdated, and with these new culverts, it will allow the drainage system to empty into the nearby Hillsborough River.
Once submissions were attentively reviewed by the City of Tampa and Tetra Tech (the engineer of record) to be sure no additional changes were needed, production began. The structures were created over the course of several months and stored in climate-controlled spaces to ensure quality and stability.
For the past eight months, since breaking ground, Woodruff & Sons has staffed the project with a crew of about 20 employees, consisting of road crews, pipe crews, and supervisors, and they have been hard at work assembling and installing this utility storm drainage project. Categorized loosely as a complete gut job, the project itself is enticing to work on because of the nature of an urban project in an old-fashioned neighborhood. The streets are over 100 years old and the accessibility of the area is limited. Along with the installation of the precast filtration structures, box culverts, area drains, and other complex pieces of the puzzle, Woodruff & Sons is also updating the neighborhood with wheelchair accessible sidewalks and ramps, bike lanes, and other pedestrian-friendly features.
The Cypress Street Outfall project is jointly funded by the City of Tampa and by the Southwest Florida www.swfwmd. Water Management District (SWFWMD), ensuring that the end result will yield better drainage and pretreatment management in the underground waterways. A benefit to all, this will contribute to a healthier environment and a cleaner Tampa Bay area.
Looking Ahead
A slow-moving style project by nature, the Cypress Street Outfall project has proven to be an excellent example of a city, engineering firm, manufacturer, and construction crew working together seamlessly toward a common goal. Soon, Oldcastle will be supplying a first for the City of Tampa’s stormwater system: a custom-made top section for the city-style curb inlets, that has never been done before in the history of the city. The effort for this precast piece was made possible with very close work by all involved—Woodruff & Sons, City of Tampa Engineering, and the Oldcastle Infrastructure sales, engineering, and production teams. It is custom-designed, tailored, formed, and above all, meets the City of Tampa specifications. The piece will not only add a unique look to the road and sidewalk city landscape, but it will also provide the City of Tampa with the benefits of a high-quality precast piece providing many years of service to their stormwater system.
A true example of teamwork from all involved, this design-build project is built for life, solving the problems of today and transforming the community for tomorrow.
Bob Simone
Bob Simone is a precast sales executive for Oldcastle Infrastructure. Simone has been in the industry for over 28 years and specializes in custom stormwater solutions to combat flooding in American cities.
