Every time we get a substantial rainfall, the new retaining wall along the Mill Towns Trail (MTT) in Babcock Park (between the PPP Bridge and the Hwy 3 bridge) seeps water at its base and over the blacktop trail.
My degree in philosophy equips me to wonder whether this is a feature or a problem. It seems like water should seep under the trail and into the river. Discoloration is already evident. And as the weather turns colder, it seems like ice could build up there. That could make for an interesting challenge for walkers, bikers, skaters, skateboarders, et al. while the occasional mishap provides a boost to the local legal and medical economy.
Good question Griff. I noticed this too when I walked on the path one day. Unlike you, I don’t have a degree in philosophy so I may not be properly qualified to wonder about issues like this. However, I suspect there may be designed weep holes in the wall that allow this water to migrate out. I agree with you that if that is the case it could cause some problems with ice. I would think a draintile with proper granular material around it to convey this water into some type of gutter drain across or under the path would be wise. And maybe there is such a system but it has not dried out enough since the work started to become functional. I do know that one has to get rid of the water behind such structures or they don’t hold up well.
Thanks, Ray. Is the contractor expected to monitor this and, if needed, repair it without further cost?
Normally these types of projects are monitored rather closely by the engineers and architects for the state. If the issue is weep holes designed and placed into the wall, then the contractor did things correctly. But the water collection system for the weep water may need to be revisited by the engineers.
If there is some waterproofing or other issue that was not done properly then I’m sure the engineers will note it and have the contractor remedy the situation.
It may be that water will stop flowing when temperatures drop.