Old Donnell Lake culvert investigated

Published 10:12 pm Friday, June 16, 2006

By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - An old cement culvert under Donnell Lake Road in Penn Township is being investigated by the Cass County Road Commission as to its safety.
Thursday, during a meeting of the Road Commission, Engineer-Manager Joseph Bellina III brought to the board's attention a three-sided concrete culvert where the outlet of Donnell Lake flows through the culvert.
It is the headwaters of Christiana Creek that flow under the road through the culvert, believed to have been built in the 1920s.
Bellina said the structure is undermined about 15 inches and is 15 inches deep. The bridge spans the creek about 6-1/2 feet.
Bellina said the road commission has no responsibility for any money to replace the bridge structure.
He said according to Act 51, the road commission can contribute no more than 50 percent of the cost.
He said, “It will not be inexpensive to replace. Undermining is a big problem.”
Bellina also said there is a similar problem at Carter Lake Street in Porter Township
He said Carter Lake Street had a settlement and looks like it was patched in the past. The culvert is four-by-seven feet and needs to be replaced. Made out of metal, it is about 20 years old. He said concrete will last many years, but metal lasts only about 25 years.
The road commission will investigate the bridge and determine if it needs an inspection done for its weight limit.
In what appeared to be good news, Jerry Turner, a road engineer, said on Barron Lake Road south of Cook Street is a 14-foot culvert that needs a wider structure. He said 80 percent of this project would be paid for with state and federal money and 20 percent by the road commission.
The road commission will also check out a portion of property in Porter Township on Lake Drive that is being used for parking for boats launched on Long Lake. David Phillips, who operates Sunshine Cove Christian Camp on Sunset Boulevard, said it's not a problem when boats are launched, it's the crowded parking conditions. He said his fence and gates have been damaged, and cars/trucks park at the no-parking sign. He said it is a bottleneck and someone will be killed there because there is a hill.
The road commission will research the property to check if it is a road or private property.
It was reported that Newberg, Porter, Volinia and Mason townships are not contracting for road improvements this year because of budget constraints.[ok]