2023-04-24-minutes-public-works-study-session

Home Browse Search

INTEGRITY () STRUCTURAL ® ENGINEERING PLLC RECEIVED 4124 INTERLAKE AVENUE NORTH SEATTLE, WA 98103 TEL: (206) 547-1379 FAx: (206) 547-1381 EMAIL: INTEGRITYSE@ATT.NET < M1I MAS COUNTY )EPT OF PUBLIC WORKS April 24, 2023 VIA HAND DELIVERED Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners 205 W. 511 Ave. Suite 108 Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887 RE: McElroy Bridge Access and Moratorium on Land Use Elk Meadows, Inc. Dear Members of the Board: I am the owner of Integrity Structural Engineering, PLLC and am both a licensed Washington State Professional Engineer and a Structural Engineer. 1 have an advanced degree from University of Washington in Civil Engineering (MSCE) and more than 30 years of professional experience working on transportation and bridge projects for both municipal and private clients. My municipal client list has included transportation projects for Washington State, King County, Mason County, Skamania County, Jefferson County, Yakima County, City of Seattle, City of Redmond, City of Shoreline, City of Kirkland, and Washington State Parks & Recreation, while my private clients included Elk Meadows HOA, Carpenter Creek HOA, Storeybrook HOA, and Cascade River Community Club. I assisted Elk Meadows Inc. with the required emergency repair design, permitting, and construction in December 2021 - February 2022- 1 am an independent professional expert retained by Elk Meadows Inc. and have no financial interest regarding the access. The Kittitas County Department of Public Works Study Session Staff Report is requesting the Board of County Commissioners enact a moratorium on land use and development within the Elk Meadows Community across the McElroy Bridge Access. This requested direction is based upon mistaken conclusions and we ask the request be tabled until after Elk Meadows has been provided information requested and adequate time to independently verify. Furthermore, Elk Meadows was only provided this Public Works Directive on April 201h and was never provided the hydraulic analysis and supporting calculations prepared by the Department of Public Works. 1) December 13, 2021 was a unique confluence of severe weather, unsafe operating conditions, and a three axle garbage truck operated by a new driver to the route crossing the McElroy Bridge access fully loaded with added front 2,0001b Curotto-can hydraulic automated carry can. After crossing the bridge into Elk Meadows, the garbage truck picked up trash from only one property. Upon returning in the same unsafe severe weather conditions with snow piled on the bridge the driver did not stop at the bridge, and instead entered the bridge at speed with the Curotto-can forward, full from various collections, and the top open to the storm. Without stopping the garbage truck dynamically loaded the bridge during the unsafe crossing and on the third dynamic sway while trying to adjust the Curotto-can as shown in the cab video, the truck tipped the bridge over the drivers left into the river and destroying the bridge girders. Elk Meadows was not notified or allowed to measure or witness the truck's condition and weighing, but despite drying out nearly three -months (Dec 14 to a weight ticket of Feb 10) and with the rubbish and snow washed out of the truck, the truck weight was within 1% to over RCW limits. The truck was driven in an unsafe