OH! OH! Danger point

Ray S S · May 13, 2009

We have had a lot of rain lately and heavy torrential rain during the weekand. Monday while
I was out for an early bike ride on the bike trail that runs close to our house, I came upon
a bad situation. The trail runs under the I69 Freeway. Between the two bridges there was a pile
of sand that washed down the hill from the top next to the road. It has been washing out in very
small ammounts since last summer, but not enouch to mention. I have been on it several times
this spring and it was the same as last summer. monday was the first time in about four days.

I had my camera with me so I took some pics. When I got home I called the highway dept. to
warn them to go out and inspect it because it is bad enough now to need imediate attention or
the bridge will be in danger.

#1...shows the sand washed down on the trail

#2...looks up the hill to see where it is from and how the rocks that were supposed to stop
washouts have been undermined and caved in

#4...Standing at the wingwall facing the road, this shows how it is undermining the paved shoulder.

#5...shows how wide spread out and how deep it is.

When I was there this afternoon, it didn't look like anyone had been there. There is a lot of
heavy truck traffic from Canada which will increase th problem.

NGE · May 14, 2009

Maybe they already figured that scenario into building the highway, and that's why they ain't worried about it. But when their next patching truck crawls along the shoulder and falls off the highway, will they seriously consider looking into your complaints.......NGE

Ray S S · May 14, 2009

Hello. NGE,

I was over there again this morning after the rain quit. We had a lot of wind and harddriving rain
all night and for most of the morning. The big hole under the edge of the paved shoulder was larger
than it was when i first saw it. I called them up again and reminded them about it and that it was
worse today. The shoulder is sagging in the center and The big truck traffic is making it worse.
They said they had someone working on it today, so I'll wait and see how soon they do it. Tomorrow
we are going camping up at the state park for the weekend. I am all done looking at it until Monday.

I see that your name is not on the Spring Hunt list with dantheman. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet
you at the next hunt.

Happy Hunting and thanks for your reply.

Ray

Mental Granny · May 14, 2009

Well I wouldn't want to drive over it and I don't tink I would like to be standing under it either ..... for awhile!

fossis · May 14, 2009

You 'did good', now let's hope they do.

Fossis..............

NGE · May 14, 2009

Ray, I am on the list, I think I am # 10.......... NGE

Ray S S · May 15, 2009

hi, NGE,
I just checked the list and see your name added on. That's good. It should be a good hunt and i'm looking
foreward to partisipating in it and the chance to meet more of the Michiganders.
Ray

UncleVinnys · May 15, 2009

Good detective work.

Hey - that third picture down . . . can you tell me exactly where that it?

That hollowed out cave would be a nice place to live when the wife kicks
me out of the house for spending all my time detecting,
and then coming in with mud on my boots. :P

bbqbull · May 15, 2009

karenray08 said:
Hello. NGE,

I was over there again this morning after the rain quit. We had a lot of wind and harddriving rain
all night and for most of the morning. The big hole under the edge of the paved shoulder was larger
than it was when i first saw it. I called them up again and reminded them about it and that it was
worse today. The shoulder is sagging in the center and The big truck traffic is making it worse.
They said they had someone working on it today, so I'll wait and see how soon they do it. Tomorrow
we are going camping up at the state park for the weekend. I am all done looking at it until Monday.

I see that your name is not on the Spring Hunt list with dantheman. Maybe I'll get a chance to meet
you at the next hunt.

Happy Hunting and thanks for your reply.

Ray

Ray, I would call 911, tell them the road is washing out more and I bet they get somebody out there ASAP!

Mental Granny · May 15, 2009

I agree if the road crew won't do anything I'd call FD and PD and Highway Patrol and tell them maybe even take copies of pics to tjhem, those people do not want any one killed and they drive the roads too! i'd bet they would put a fire under the road crew for whos' it is either county or state!

Ray S S · May 17, 2009

Uncle Vinnys,
Thank you.Yup, iI know what you mean, but this place might get kinda noisy and drafty,
you'd best get a place down in the valley somewhere where it would be quieter and warmer. LOL,

bbqbull and Granny,

We left early Friday morning to go camping for the weekend and just got back today thia
afternoon. After stuff was done here I took a ride over there. I could see where they had
cleared the trail off but have done nothing up top. I climbed up and took another look at
the top. After that fierce rain on the weekend it is waching out deeper and a hunk of blacktop
has broken off the edge of the shoulder. It has undermined back about three feet under the
shoulder.There is a lot of big truck traffic that comes across the Blur water Bridge from
Canada and it is vibrating loose more and more. I took a quick trip to the Sherriff's
Dept. and talked to a lady and showed her the pics on my camera. All the guys, including
the Sgt. were out on the road. She said that the road crews would probably be getting on it
tomorrow. She agreed with me that if they didn't do something right away that they would
have to shut the bridge down to fix it. That would cause an awful lot of problems.

I'll wait and see for a couple days, and see if they begin to do something to stop it or
at least slow it down to give them time to fix it. I would think they would have seen how
serious it is when they plowed the trail. so they will probably start it Monday.

Thanks for your replies.

Ray

Mental Granny · May 17, 2009

Good for you now when the sheriff gets back or she might have called him and said go look I will bet something happens this week!

Ray S S · May 18, 2009

Well, Here it is Monday, a week even since I first called about it and there are over there now. The one lane is
blocked off and they dumped a load of gravel and rocks over the bank and are packing it in with a little back-hoe.
I am not sure if that will pack it in solid in the back of the hole, but we'll know maybe in another 6mo to a year
if it is packed in to the back.

Thanks for all of your interest and replies

Ray