Road washes into culvert pipe

JoeR · Feb 23, 2002

Here is something that really got me upset...

It started raining really heavy, and received 4 inches of rain in 24 hours. I decide to check my 800' driveway for any runouts due to heavy rain. I get into the low area, and I notice a 2 foot by 2 foot crater in my road. I look in, and I can see clear into my culvert pipe!!! I think, oh great! When we were building the house, one of the heavy cement trucks somehow crushed the culvert causing a hole in the pipe. I decide to dig out the hole to get an estimate of how much damage was done to the culvert. As I am digging, and clearing the dirt away from the culvert, I notice what looks like a root running right throught the hole. I take my shovel to cut the 1/4 inch size root. After I cut it, I notice wires!!!! Great! It's my phone line!!!! I just cut my phone line on a Friday afternoon, knowing darn well it won't get fixed till Monday. Upon further investigation, I realize my phone wire runs through the hole in my culvert!!! I then realize that the trenching machine cut right through my culvert pipe when they put the phone line into the house. I was so mad, that I started shaking from the adrenaline pumping through me... Now I am worried about the remaining 4 culvert pipes. I called my wonderful Land Line carrier, and told them I wanted it fixed and they can dig around the other 4 culvert pipes and check them for damage.

Question: Is there any information I should know, so that I make sure they fix it correctly? I do not know the proper procedure for culvert repair. Secondly, do you think I can make them add more cement wash to fix the damage that the road will sustain during repair?

Thanks,

Joe

Thomas · Feb 23, 2002

Sorry to read about the bad news..whew.
I would ask them to replace the culvert.
Don't let them try and sneak another culvert inside the damage culvert and say its okay..seen this before.
Far as damages you might get lucky if you can prove w/out doubt they cause this..don't let them say it was a act of God.
Does your home insurance policy cover your damages.

Boondox · Feb 23, 2002

I'm with Thomas on this one. A cheap repair is to insert a smaller culvert inside the damaged one, but that reduces the capacity and leads to other problems. Demand replacements.

Pete

Anonymous Poster · Feb 23, 2002

Phone company ought to be real able to deal with this replacement job. The rule is simple, before you dig or ternch or even horizontal bore, the job has to be staked out. If you dig, and cut something, you are responsible for all damage. If it was improperly staked, the locating contractor is responsible for the damage.
Phone companys love to charge excavators for damage to their underground, you have evry right to charge them. Just don't expect the phone company to jump to pay you. If they refuse to do the job right, Small Claims court will be your next step.
Hopefully, you aren't dealing with Citizens Telephone, they are real scumbags.

JoeR · Feb 24, 2002

Yep, you are right how the utility companies hammer excavators for hitting underground lines. I should take the same approach, and hammer them back!!! I have Sprint as my carrier, and so far they have accepted responsibility. Although, I now know that the smaller pipe inside the larger one is not a good fix. I appreciated everyone's feedback... The more knowledge I have, the better I can deal with them.

Thanks,

Joe

Pks · Feb 25, 2002

Please keep us updated. This sounds like a good learning experience for all of us.

Peter S.

dmccarty · Feb 25, 2002

JoeR,

If you don't know anything about putting in culverts, search through
TBN and find the previous discussions.

Here is a link to a manufactuer of culverts. They have an installation
guide that might be helpful.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qualityculvert.com/instlgde.htm>http://www.qualityculvert.com/instlgde.htm</A>

Make sure the phone company's contractor's repair
the culvert correctly.

Good Luck,
Dan McCarty

JoeR · Mar 3, 2002

UPDATE:

Well, Sprint accepted responsibility... I had them check all 5 culverts, and 2 of them were damaged. The contractor came out and repaired them, but I was not here to see exactly how it was done. They used a piece of vinyl to cover and seal the hole. Then they covered the vinyl with another piece of metal in order to stop anything from damaging the vinyl. From what I can tell, this is a common occurrence. For the contractor, it is easier to trench the wire and repair damages later, rather than marking all the culvert pipe location and hand digging around the pipe. I really whish I was here to see how it was done, but I am too lazy to dig up the culvert to see the repair... As long as my road is not washing into the hole... I am happy.

Thanks for everyone's input...

Joe

BHarrison · Mar 3, 2002

Sounds like they didn't fix what they broke, they just kinda sorta patched it. Typical. Hope it holds up for you.

JoeR · Mar 4, 2002

You are absolutely right Ben. I never did ask how long it would last. Now you have me thinking... I am going to ask them Monday! I forgot to get some kind of warranty in writing, which would hold them responsible for the long term. Hmmm.... It figures I would forget something like that!

Thanks,

Joe