This summer Alpine Township will be working in conjunction with the Plainfield Water Department to replace 50-year old water mains in the following streets:
• Westshire Drive (Alpine Avenue to Westgate Drive)
• Westgate Drive (Lamoreaux Drive to Westnedge Avenue)
• Lantern Drive (Westgate Drive to Stoney Creek Drive)
• Brandywyne Drive (Lantern Drive to Stoney Creek Drive)
• Stoney Creek Drive (Lamoreaux Drive to Lantern Drive)
A meeting and open house have been scheduled for Tuesday, February 8th at the Comstock Park High School Cafeteria, 150 6 Mile Road NW. Official presentations are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with plenty of time in between and after to ask questions and view the proposed plans. You are encouraged to attend.
We have limited the contractor to only having two roads under construction at any one time to maximize the access to homes for residents, as well as emergency vehicles. The Contractor will coordinate his activities with the Comstock Park Public Schools, who will send letters out to the parents if the bus schedules are impacted in any way.
The Contractor is anticipated to begin work around May 2, 2011, working 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays and possibly Saturdays. Water main construction and street replacement, along with final restoration, are scheduled to be completed by September 1, 2011. During construction there will be road closures that will slow traffic through the project area. Detours will be clearly marked. The Contractor is required to coordinate any required driveway closures with you to minimize inconvenience. Emergency vehicle access to your home will be maintained at all times. We do not wish to understate the disruption that this project will involve, and we ask for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to complete the project.
The water main will be installed 25 feet from the centerline of the roads and will be about 5½ feet to 7 feet deep. Some trees and bushes within the right-of-way will be removed. If you have a sprinkler system in the right-of-way that is not permitted by the Kent County Road Commission, it may be removed during construction and not be replaced. Other structures and landscaping in the right-of-way will not be replaced if deemed a traffic hazard by the Road Commission. You should move anything you would like to save and relocate it outside of the right-of-way before construction.
Water services will be constructed to the existing shut-off valve at the road right-of-way line for each property. The existing shut-off valve will be replaced with a new shut-off valve. The first 15 or so homes on Westgate Drive, north of Lamoreaux Drive will have a temporary PVC water main serving them, since the existing water main is not under the road and will need to be removed to make room for the new water main.
HIGHER WATER PRESSURES
As part of the water main replacement project, Alpine Township is responding to homeowners’ requests for higher water pressures in the neighborhood. To accomplish this, Westgate Drive will require two new water mains.
Residents need to be aware that most homes in the area will see pressures increase from the 40-60 psi range to 70-100 psi. Some homes at lower elevations (e.g., near Strawberry Creek) may see pressures as high as 110+ psi, so they will require a pressure-reducing valve (PRV) installed in their basement on the incoming water service. The PRV will reduce the pressure from the water main to prevent damage to household appliances and plumbing fixtures.
The Township will be providing free of charge a PRV to those homeowners, if requested, who will have 100 psi pressures or greater. Eligible home locations are as follows:
• Stoney Creek Drive (Lamoreaux Drive to 2 or 3 homes north of Brookgate Drive)
• Brookgate Drive (4 homes west of Stoney Creek Drive to Stoney Creek Drive)
• Lantern Drive (187 Lantern Drive east to Stoney Creek Drive)
• Brandywyne Drive (194 Brandywyne Drive east to Stoney Creek Drive)
The homeowner will be responsible for hiring a plumber to install the PRV. We estimate that the cost for a plumber will be in the $100-$200 range. We ask that all homeowners who receive a PRV have it installed by August 1, 2011. When the water department opens the high pressure valves on the system, these homes will be protected by their PRV valves. Although there is no express or implied warranty, we believe that taking these measures is the prudent thing to do and should provide the protection desired. You are welcome to consult your plumber to verify this.
If you have any further questions or concerns regarding the project, or have specific special needs please contact Jim Kirkwood at Prein&Newhof (364-8491).
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