MORGANTOWN – The first of what will likely be several intermittent closures of the Caperton Rail-Trail near WVU’s Reynolds Hall will take place from 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Another trail closure is planned to occur next week, though specific details have not been finalized.
The trail impacts are tied to an emergency Morgantown Utility Board project to clean, inspect and repair a leaking section of the Central Mon Sewer Interceptor.
It was explained that the leak was identified after citizens notified MUB of odor in the area. MUB has diverted some flows from the ruptured section of pipe, which has stopped the leakage from coming up through the ground.
Wednesday’s closure will allow MUB to access a portion of the system that will be necessary once all flows need to be diverted.
“The bypass pumping that will be needed for this will actually be pretty significant,” Assistant General Manager Rich Rogers said, noting pumps and piping will be installed above ground to divert the flow around that section.
During MUB’s most recent regular meeting, the utility board approved a contract with Insight Pipe Contracting for $246,400 to perform the initial phase of work, which includes a thorough cleaning and evaluation of roughly 600 feet of the interceptor, a portion of which is more than 30 feet below ground.
Once that is complete, Insight Pipe is expected to come back with a quote for the second phase of work to include lining the leaking section of pipe and addressing deteriorating manholes at each end of the lined section.
“We do not have a date for the lining, but we aim to have it completed as soon as possible once the liner can be ordered. Lining the pipe will require a trail closure, but that installation will be completed in one day,” MUB Communications Director Chris Dale said before addressing the manhole projects.
“One manhole is in the parking lot along Water Street and will not impact the trail while it is being rehabbed. The other is between the rail-trail and the river and will involve equipment across the trail. It is not known yet if rehabbing that manhole will require a closure at that time.”
MUB is working with the Mon River Trails Conservancy, BOPARC, the city of Morgantown and WVU to map out the details of the project, including impacts to the trail.
