News from the PIPOA - Drew Diggins, President
Date:
December 13, 2023
Details:
GREAT NEWS ON THE CANAL CONNECTION. The Engineers for the PIPOA and Diamond Beach Holdings, LLC met and presented their findings to City Engineering Services last Monday. Attending the meeting were: Jeff Edmonds, P.E., Director of Engineering Services, City of Corpus Christi, Jeff Coym, Vice President, LJA Engineering, Aaron Horine, P.E., Anchor QEA, Ryan Burke, P.E, Anchor QEA; Drew Diggins P.E., President of PIPOA; Herb Bradley, PIPOA Board Member.
First and foremost, the parties agreed that the Whitecap and Gypsy Bridges, including the associated bulkheads within the bridge easement, are city assets, and the city is responsible for their maintenance and protection.
The engineers for all groups discussed the increased water velocity and resulting scour that will occur at the Whitecap and Gypsy bridges with the opening of the canals and Don Patrico Bridge. Given the unacceptable risk, the engineers agreed that these bridges need to be armored and scour protection installed “as expeditiously as possible”. Mr. Edmonds stated that he would immediately review the appropriate scour protection required to protect these bridges.
The parties discussed interim solutions that would allow the water to flow from Diamond Beach property into the PIPOA canals while work by the City is being performed to mitigate the scouring. The City, LJA and the PIPOA agreed to co-operate in developing a workable solution.
At last night’s board meeting, the PIPOA Board heard members’ concerns regarding the timeline to complete the canal connection. The board is preparing the necessary legal documents, and Diamond Beach engineers have agreed to have the final design plans, location approval from Flour Bluff ISD, and necessary connection procedures delivered to the PIPOA, so that the Board can make approval. The Board is committed to connecting the canal systems as soon as possible, and we look forward to the water quality improvement in the PIPOA canals.
Finally, many thanks to those who assisted in this process, especially Tim Lange (and the Lake Padre Development who holds the Army Corp of Engineers permit for the new San Patricio Bridge) for his time and support.