Tunnel Needs German Tiles
By FRED CONNORSArticle Photos
WHEELING - More tile will be used to renovate the eastbound tube of the Wheeling Tunnel than officials originally projected would be needed for both sides.
Brent Walker, assistant director of communications for the West Virginia Department of Transportation, confirmed Thursday that more tile has been ordered to replace tile damaged last year by overspray from the application of shotcrete to repair damaged subwalls and provide a base for new tile.
Walker was in Wheeling for a media briefing on the trouble-laden tunnel project. He was accompanied by WVDOH District 6 engineers, including tunnel project engineer Dustin Neely, construction engineer Dan Sikora and area engineer Robert Langen.
Neely said an additional 3,000-4,000 tiles are en route from Germany and should be on the job site within two weeks.
He said the original design plan called for 13,000 square feet of tile to be installed in both tubes of the tunnel, but an increase in demolition and damage from overspray to other tiles has upped the count.
"We originally projected a need for replacement of 4,500 square feet of tile in the eastbound tube," Neely said. "We later increased the count to 7,800 square feet, and now we are adding (more than) another 4,500 square feet for damaged tile."
Not included in these numbers are additional tiles damaged last year, Neely said, that factored into the count for a total of more than 13,000 square feet.
Walker said WVDOH decided reglazing of damaged tile would not be feasible because there were questions about the durability of reglazed tile over a long period of time.
In June, the Velotta Co., general contractor on the job, called in RJ's Tub and Tile of Richmond, Va., for testing to evaluate the feasibility of reglazing damaged tile in lieu of replacement. On Thursday, Neely said the company will not be used and all damaged tile will be replaced with new tile.
Walker said financial responsibility for the additional tile is "an outstanding issue."
At Thursday's briefing, Walker and Neely updated reporters on progress being made at the tunnel.
Walker said work is progressing as two 11-man crews are working 10 hours a day and a skeleton crew is filling in the gaps.
"We, and by that I mean the secretary (Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox) and governor (Joe Manchin) have made it abundantly clear that this project is to be completed and the tunnel opened by Nov. 1," he said. "The state, the surety company and the contractor are on the same page about that."
Walker said state officials are excited about "the new and improved tunnel" that will result from the renovation.
He said the new closed circuit television system and carbon monoxide monitors will allow emergency traffic centers in Charleston and Huntington to monitor tunnel activity in the event of any emergency.
Neely said the new trench drain installed last year at the west end of the eastbound tube will be upgraded to carry a heavier load. The drain was made of lighter gauge steel and was not as wide as the original grating.
Temporary repairs had to be made to the drain in May when a break in the system caused a potential traffic danger.
"We had design representatives here from a foundry that forms and pours steel grating, and we have a plan in place to increase the capacity and size of that drain," Neely said.
Walker said additional media briefings may be held between now and Nov. 1 to allow visual access to the job and answer specific questions.
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Tenente61
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08-16-08 5:32 PM
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I don't think they could find American tile, hence the German tile. Read the earlier articles to find that out. I remember it being reported on.
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UNCOMMONSENSE
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08-16-08 4:26 PM
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To purchase foreign made tile for a project using PUBLIC money is OUTRAGEOUS! Profit before Patriotism at work!
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atoddh
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08-16-08 2:41 PM
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kata:the Boston tunnel colapsed due to defective materials and workmanship. There may no longer be a suitable American tile source.Wheeling Tile was a wonderful company put out of business by foreign tile.Yet German labor is higher paid than American.
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Katabatic
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08-16-08 12:15 PM
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Tenente61, my point was that yet another chance to "buy American" was passed up in favor of another foreign concern. Patterson......at least something got dug up in Boston. These schmoes are just trying to replace some loose tile and it took all this time, energy, and effort. Imagine if they really tried to fix what was causing the problem. Acid mine drainage.
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atoddh
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08-15-08 10:46 PM
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Yes Patterson and it may have an unfortunate outcome as well.
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Patterson
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08-15-08 8:51 PM
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Having lived in Boston, MA during their PROJECT this Wheeling Tunnel Project sounds like a remake of 'THE BIG DIG...'
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atoddh
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08-15-08 6:57 PM
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kaieser:the situation is that Velotta ruined many tiles and they wanted to try to reuse/rehab them.However,it was determined that the tiles were permanently damaged. Now - most likely - Vellota will want WV to pay for the tiles they damaged.But they ruined them;they should pay. There may,however, be yet another "Sopranos-like" arrangemnt made to accomodate Velotta as is becomming customary in WV.
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kaiserhund
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08-15-08 6:23 PM
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German Tiles!!! Well, at least they will get quality. They could have been from china. And by the way, Couldn't the tub and tile guys get the job done??????? I still think that is funny.
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Tenente61
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08-15-08 4:37 PM
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Katabatic...It wasn't suddenly from Germany, the tile from this whole project has come from Germany. They had a reason for that, something about the delivery time I think.
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Georgetwin
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08-15-08 2:19 PM
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Cory, BTW 3 Libertarian Columnists on TownHall. Burt Prelutsky, Michael Medved and John Stossel. They ARE Registered Republicans but they LEAN libertarian on MOST issues.
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atoddh
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08-15-08 1:47 PM
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If you break it-you bought it. The public should not pay for Velotta's mistakes.
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richardwhee
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08-15-08 1:00 PM
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cory1978---- They probably got their degree from good old WVU. Need I say more!!!!! Just a joke
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frisbeewv
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08-15-08 11:40 AM
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exwv, um, I don't believe Wheeling is in charge of the tunnel
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Katabatic
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08-15-08 11:34 AM
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Why do we suddenly need tile from Germany ? When the tunnel was originally built, those tiles did not come from Germany. They came from America, the good old USA. They can use all the French drains they want, but this translates to "more drainage expected". Nothing fixed or repaired. Cosmetic work only. What are they going to do when the acid mine drainage above the tunnel, dissolves enough concrete to cause a massive structural failure ? Those tubes are a disaster waiting to happen.
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Georgetwin
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08-15-08 11:24 AM
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Cory1978, from the railroad?
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MaryLynn
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08-15-08 11:10 AM
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I like that the financial responsibility is an "outstanding issue." My read: WV taxpayers will continue to pay for conractor error.
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exwestvirgina
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08-15-08 10:53 AM
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I hate to say it BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN! I still think they should just blast it. Fixing it up is money going down the (Tubes), Please wake up Wheeling. Sounds like a slogan to me, WAKE UP WHEELING
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Patterson
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08-15-08 9:58 AM
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Having to meet the Nov 1 deadline is one thing...to have it open by Nov 1 with PROPERLY LAID TILES, ELECTRICAL WORK AND OTHER YET TO BE DETERMINED 'SUPRISES' DONE is a completely difference objective. Ten-to-one there will be additional "work" to be required after Nov 1. The penalty to the contractors is somewhat clear if they exceed the Nov 1 deadline. The penalty to the citizens of Wheeling & passer-byers are continued nuisance, inconvenience and ADDITIONAL GAS MILEAGE. "Get er done" right the first time...is that too much to ask?
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cory1978
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08-15-08 8:16 AM
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where do they get their engineers and estimators from??? from the creators of bob the builder?
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