Rain Slows Widening of Nova Road, Port Orange, FL

Modern Continental South was awarded the $32-million Florida Department of Transportation contract to widen State Road 5A, commonly known as Nova Road, in Port Orange, FL. The main focus of the project is to widen the rural 2-lane road into an urban 4-lane road. The rest of the project will consist of utility work such as replacing water lines, sewer lines, and force mains along the proposed areas of construction. In some areas, the road will be widened to 6-lanes to better handle the increasing level of traffic due to rapid growth in the area.

“Basically, it’s been at over-capacity for years,” said Debra Bergeron, public information officer for Quest Communications, the firm handling the project communications, and a long-time area resident. “This whole area has grown so rapidly, there certainly is a need for these roads.”

The project is split into two sections, both on the outskirts of where Nova Road runs through Daytona Beach. The first project was started in October 2001, and will be completed by June 2004. It is located south of the Daytona Beach city limits in Port Orange. The second project was started November 2001, and will be completed by May 2004. The second project is located north of Daytona Beach in Ormond Beach.

The widening of the two sections of Nova Road will affect many local homes, businesses, small businesses and large shopping centers. The contractors have placed “Business Entrance” signs to help direct the public into those businesses safely. With a large elderly population in the area, the project team has viewed this as one of its more critical and challenging efforts. The project team has also instituted a monthly open house and meeting, so that local business owners and residents have the chance to speak with members of the project team and representatives from the Department of Transportation on a one-to-one basis about the project. The main reason for the public’s concern is the inherent slow going of much of this work.
“It doesn’t look like we’re doing anything, when we’re doing all that [utility work],” Debra Bergeron said. “Of course, we’re in the way and we create dust and noise. But that is almost finished.”

The Port Orange section of the project has already seen the repair or replacement of:

· 7-miles of storm drain, ranging from 18 to 84-inches, and varying between concrete pipe, and steel-rimmed aluminum steel pipe.

· 6-miles of water main, sewer main and reclaimed water pipe, measuring between 2 and 24-inches in diameter, either as PVC or ductile iron pipe.

The work completed thus far in Ormond Beach is similar:

· 6-miles of drainage pipe, ranging from 18 to 60-inches of concrete, or steel-rimmed aluminum steel pipe.

· 8.5-miles of water main, force main or reclaimed water pipe, also ranging from 2 to 24-inches in diameter either in PVC or ductile iron pipe.

A considerable amount of rain during the stage of construction has impeded progress as well.

“That [rain] has caused a lot of delays,” said Bergeron. “With the rain [the challenge has been] not only in certain areas where the water accumulates, but also as far as maintaining the access to businesses and the homes with the driveways. That’s caused us a lot of anxiety.”

Modern Continental has used Thompson Pumps on their projects many times in the past, so it was no surprise when they asked Thompson for help on Nova Road. With heavy summer and fall rains, a lack of project workspace and a need for quick response, Modern Continental knew Thompson could provide the pumps and accessories needed to help keep construction work on schedule.

Thompson Pump supplied many different pieces of equipment, ranging from Double Diaphragm Pumps, to Rotary Wellpoint Pumps to Dry Prime Pumps with the SuperSuction Vacuum-Assisted Priming System to handle the underground wellpointing, sewer line bypassing, trench dewatering
and any other dewatering needs.

“Since both sections of the project are located closely to our manufacturing facility, we were happy to be a part of the project,” said Joe Belli, Product Marketing Specialist for Thompson Pump. “We have knowledgeable people who can provide advice and troubleshooting help to address the many
different pump applications smoothly and cost-effectively.”