VALDOSTA – The Valdosta City Engineer Ben O-Dowd penned a letter to area residents providing an update on the Lake Park Road Box Culvert Replacement project.
The statement letter was shared to the City of Valdosta Facebook Thursday afternoon. The concrete box culvert was selected for replacement due to structural deterioration during its lifespan, according to the post.
The letter said the project was advertised and awarded in the Spring of 2022, with funding allocated in the Stormwater Utility Division budget for fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 – June 2023). The initial plan was to carry out the construction during the Valdosta school system summer break of 2023.
“However, due to issues with the supply chain and fabrication delays, the construction was not started until June 2023 with an estimated completion time in mid-August. The watermain replacement was completed in July, and a concrete foundation was installed. Unfortunately, when the box culvert precast sections were delivered in mid-July, it was discovered that the fabricator had incorrectly formed the flanges, which interconnect the sections. This meant that additional on-site modifications had to be made by the subcontractor, which caused further delays in the installation,” O-Dowd wrote.
But Hurricane Idalia had other plans. The storm’s impact caused construction delays on all infrastructure projects for several weeks.
He said, “We understand the project delays have caused some inconvenience and frustration, and we appreciate your patience as we work to complete this community improvement project. It is now anticipated that all work will be completed by mid-November 2023.”
For questions or concerns, contact the Valdosta Engineering Department at 229-259-3530.