Once again Albany’s Dave Clark Riverfront Path has been temporarily blocked by sewer work. It’s an interesting project marked by geyser-like eruptions of — steam!
Now it has started — the big Albany sewer project intended to prevent overflows to the Willamette River during heavy rains. The construction will, among other things, distrupt the middle section of the Dave Clark Riverside Path, where an underground lift station or pump will be installed.
Some Albany residents have become concerned about plans to build a sewer pump station on the Dave Clark Path near where they live in the Iron Works townhouses on Water Avenue. But the design is more than half done, and the city says changing it would cause delays and a significant increase in the cost.
For years, the city of Albany has posted pollution warnings near sewer outfalls on the Willamette River when heavy rainstorms overloaded the system. To fix this, the city now expects to spend $13 million borrowed from the state.
City engineers in Albany are planning a $13 million sewer project they hope will prevent overflows into the Willamette River during heavy wintertime rainstorms. It will also force a change in the riverfront Dave Clark Path and, likely as not, cut into new pavement on Water Avenue.
Sewer project has first real test: It works!
In case you missed it, unlikely as that is, last weekend we had our first episode of heavy rain this winter. And guess what: Albany’s Riverfront Interceptor, a big sewer main that drains most of the central part of town, did NOT overflow.
Tags: Albany riverfront, Dave Clark Path, lift station, Riverfront Interceptor