11-05-2019 Emergency Repair Notification Bluford and Highway 50 Mayor Commissioners
Rusty Johnson4...$0. Larry Brinson Sr, District 1
Rosemary Wilsen, District 2
City ManagerRichard Firstner, District 3
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Robert Frank ee George Oliver, Ill District 4
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Robert Frank
City Manager
THRU: Craig Shadrix
Assistant City Manager
FROM: Charles K. Smith, P.E.
Utilities Director
DATE: November 5, 2019
RE: Emergency Repair Notification Bluford and Highway 50
Please provide notification to City Commission of the Emergency Repair to the Gravity Sanitary
Sewer System in the North Half of Bluford Ave and State Road 50 Intersection. I will be present to
answer questions.
The following is a brief discussion of the situation:
On October 9, 2019, an Employee with the City reported a depression in the northern most travel lane
of Highway 50, just west of Bluford Avenue. The depression was located near a City sanitary sewer
manhole. Upon inspection, it appeared ground water and soils was infiltrating into the manhole.
Sewer flow was quickly diverted away from the manhole to allow for a more thorough inspection of the
structure. Upon inspection, the manhole showed significant failures and required emergency repair.
The City requested the services of J. Malever Construction (Contractor) due to the depth of the repair
(18 feet) and scope of work required for the repair. On October 10, 2019, the contactor mobilized on
site. The contactor stopped the ground water infiltration and then lined the entire interior of the
structure to prevent any further issue.
The Contractor worked with the City and FDOT to inspect the site and develop a plan for the roadway
repair. During this inspection it was discovered that there are issues with the road requiring a more
in-depth investigation in order to complete the work. The City's geotechnical contractor provided
inspection and testing services of the site and upon review of the information, FDOT responded to the
site with their own geotechnical team to do further testing.
City of Ocoee Utilities • 1800 A.D. Mims Road • Ocoee, Florida 34761
Phone: (407) 905-3159 • Fax: (407) 877-5899 •www.ocoee.org
Last week FDOT's geotechnical team indicated they found no voids but had a concern about the soil
structure above the City's sewer main. On Monday the Contractor attempted to address the
pavement depression by pressure grouting (liquid concrete) under the roadway. During the pressure
grouting process either the sewer main and/or manhole connection failed allowing grout to intrude into
main. Due to the depth of the main, the grout could not be removed by pumping and washing the
grout further down the system was unacceptable. The cure is replacement of the impacted main and
manhole by excavation. This will require a more extensive repair and include closing to traffic the
northern half of the Bluford and Highway 50 intersection.
In reviewing this situation, it is important to note that this is one of the older sections of sewer in
Highway 50 and was originally on the shoulder of the roadway. With improvements to the roadway,
the structure became part of the northern most travel lane.
Utilities is aware of the disruption this closure will have on traffic; with the assistance of the Contractor
and FDOT the work needed will be completed as quickly as possible.