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SHA Culvert Repairs

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » SHA Culvert Repairs » Document List

The Maryland State Highway Administration needs to undertake repairs to two modern culverts that cross under the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP at Miles 117 and 118. The permits will allow access for a limited portion of repair activities,to include the preservation repairs to the canal prism for Culvert # 21117X0 (mile 117) and transfer of minor equipment to Culvert # 21116X0 (Mile 118). Previous compliance reviews, May 2003, indicated that both projects met requirements for historic preservation for the canal prism repair - Categorical Exclusion #3.4 C (4), maintenance for non-historic structures - Categorial Exclusion #3.4 C (3), and transport of equipment and personnel across park property via the historic towpath. On site meetings have been held in 2003 and 2005. The meetings were at the request of the NPS and included SHA, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and project contractors. The meetings in 2005 ensured that the project scope of work, design and specifications had not changed since the initial environmental and cultural reviews. The project will remain the same for culvert #21117X0. All work to repair the culvert will be conducted from the inlet which is off park property. The only work on park property will be to address the severe erosion within the canal prism that was caused by the culvert pipe deterioration.

Culvert #21116X0 will now substitute the placement of riprap with a formed headwall at the outlet. To accomplish this, two pick-up trucks of material will need to access the site. The remainder of the work will be accomplished from the inlet of the culvert, which is off of NPS property. Pick-up size trucks will be permitted to be parked within the park during the work to provide a emergency vehicle for the project staff.

All work for the repairs to the culvert pipes will be done from within each pipe. A concrete base will installed within the invert of the pipes to correct deterioration. The pipes were a component of the Interstate 70 construction and were originally installed by open cut method.
The delay in project completion was due to funding reallocations within the State Highway Administration.

The culvert structures have deteriorated significantly and are now posing threats to structural integrity for Interstate 70, the Western Maryland Rail Trail, and the Chespeake and Ohio Canal NHP.

These projects have been reviewed for impacts to natural and cultural resources by the park's Interdisciplinary Team. The project does not pose any serious or long-term effects to the environment, historical, cultural, archeological, or visual resources. A memo to the files has been issued that the projects continue to meet the original compliance reviews.

Contact Information

For further information about this project, please contact David Hixon, Acting Maintenance Supervisor, Four Locks Maintenance District, at 326 East Main Street, Hancock, MD 21750