Cool Timeline
The City of Carmel, Public Works begins installation of new power poles on 96th Street to allow room for our new traffic blister and turning lane.
Trenching for, and installing silt-fence in preparation for starting construction on the our new roadway and installing utilities.
February 27th, 2024 – After 7 Months of Work, The Final Approval for Permitting!
After what seems like years, (wait, it actually has been years) we were finally able to record our Secondary Plat with the City of Indianapolis!
Installed 10 sections of steel railing today, each one weighing in at a little over 1,000lbs.
Despite the cold today, concrete for the parapets gets poured this morning.
Deck forms are removed, and work begins on the parapets.
Concrete is delivered for the new bridge deck!
Forms, rebar, and drains are set in place for the new bridge deck.
After the grout has had time to cure, back-filling work begins. Layers of sand and #53 stone are compacted 8” at a time.
A truly satisfying feeling!
After the grout sets, 1” holes are hammer-drilled and plates are bolted in to tie the bridge sections together.
The steps include setting the first and second sections into place, placing the third section and the head walls, and sealing and grouting the sections and foundations together. Finally, the workers took a break for a beer after completing the hard work.
“First bridge section being set into place.”
“Section #2 going in.”
“Third section, and then the head-walls. Each section weighs 18 tons, the head walls are 7 tons apiece.”
“Sealing and grouting the sections together, and to the foundations.”
“Whew, time for a beer.”
The crane is here! Set-up begins.
The bridge sections begin to arrive, and are staged at a closed restaurant just down the street.
A quick stop on 96th Street with the police providing traffic control, then a long reverse 1,000’ down the road to the crane.
A large pile of new rock is ready to be used in the construction of the bridge. The rock is placed in a large open area, surrounded by some trees and shrubs. The sky is bright and clear, & the construction process is about to begin. The new rock glitters in the sunlight, hinting at the bright future ahead for this project.
“Hey, I think that truck bed may be a little too high…”
29 yards of concrete going in today to create the foundations for the bridge. Very Exciting Day!
Rebar is being set for the bridge foundations.
Ground Breaking!! Excavation for the bridge foundations has begun; the first official bucket full of dirt.
The final result, two 10’ deep holes.
Fall is upon us and as the day for actual construction nears, I have to widen the original gravel road some to allow for the bridge delivery trucks!
Where I visit the manufacturing facility and inspect the first piece of our cast concrete bridge today (it’s huge!) and get an inside look at the prep work for section #2. Special thanks to John Barth and Chris Bettum at Contech Engineered Solutions, in Dayton, Ohio.
Forgotten Creek Drive has formally been approved by the USPS.
Download PDF of The Ridge on Williams Creek USPS Approval with Addresses
Landscaping in 95 degree heat might be a little safer, but isn’t much better.
Next up for clearing is the area next to Williams Creek, which hasn’t been touched in years and must also be cleared by hand, so says IDNR!
Well, it’s a Ridge, on Williams Creek.
Getting introduced to some of the current residents.
A little digging reveals the property’s original owner as Alexander Taggart, who brought the original log cabin (still standing today) to the property around 1903, develops Wonder Bread in 1921, and then builds their family home there in 1939. A guest house, which is also still standing, would follow in the 50’s.
Me: (jokingly) “My builder friend Brad thinks I should develop my own subdivision.”
Paul: (my realtor) “Have you seen the 12 acres for sale on 96th Street?”
Me: “I didn’t think there was any land left in Marion County?”
Paul: “It’s been for sale for years. It’s on Williams Creek.”
Me: “What?”
Paul: “You busy? Lets take a drive over there.”
My wife Jackie: (later that evening) “You want to do what??”
