RINGGOLD, Ga. — Work on the West Chickamauga sewer interceptor project has been stopped three weeks but is scheduled to resume on Monday.
It will be none too soon for area residents, who have had to detour around the Mack Smith Road closure near North Avenue for months.
Charles Brannon, a Mack Smith Road resident, said having to detour around a halted project added aggravation to the inconvenience.
Ronald Flannigan lives across the street from Mr. Brannon.
“No matter where I need to go there is gravel and dust,” he said this week. “There’s nothing going on now. It’s a pain to have the dust, blasting and detour around the work area, but what can we do?”
County Manager Mike Helton said the county finally received word Thursday that the work can resume.
County project engineer Jimmy Hyma of Arcadis said he had been waiting for that goahead, after work was ordered halted because of a list of infractions.
Those infractions included breaching the 25-foot buffer zone established to protect West Chickamauga Creek. Heavy equipment had been driven inside the buffer, disturbing soil close to the creek, according to Donald “Buster” Brown, Catoosa stormwater manager.
“I sent revised plans on this project to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division at least twice,” Mr. Hyma said. “I then receive comments on the proposed revision of plans, respond to their comments and await a response.”
East Tennessee Grading is the project contractor. Crews on March 7 were ordered to stop after a visit by inspectors who found a list of infractions.
Mr. Hyma said he forwarded the latest paperwork to state environmental officials Wednesday with revisions to meet requirements on a new inspection check list.
FAST FACT
Sewer interceptor: A large line that collects sewage from smaller sewer lines and transports the waste to a plant for treatment.
