1. Fred Creek Drainage Improvements
I
n recent years, the banks of the section of Fred Creek running through the Oral
Roberts University campus had begun eroding, threatening slope stability and
associated utilities. The city of Tulsa, Okla., sought to expand the channel and
stabilize its banks while providing an attractive green area for parks and trails. For
biodiversity and safety purposes, the project owner requested that the contours of the
renovated channel mirror those of the natural channel as closely as possible.
Using a design created by Ryan Mittasch, P.E., of Tetra Tech, the Fred Creek
Drainage Improvements project team commenced work in 2007. Redi-Rock
retaining walls, manufactured by SI Precast and comprised of 9-in. setback blocks,
were specified to line the creek and control erosion.
“We have found in the past on similar projects that the smaller retaining wall Cost: $15 million
blocks just won’t handle the velocity of the water,” said Bill Robinson, P.E., project Size: 68,000 sq ft
manager and then senior storm water design engineer for the city of Tulsa. Designer: Ryan Mittasch, P.E.,
While Crossland Heavy Construction installed the walls, Fred Creek’s flow was Tetra Tech
diverted to one side to allow for construction on its opposite bank, then vice versa. Contractor: Crossland
As a finishing touch, landscape architect Mike Peters of Alaback Design Heavy Construction
Associates designed a plan to create a Owner: City of Tulsa, Okla.
healthier ecosystem by including a natural
creek bottom and extensive plantings. Many
of the plants were species native to eastern
Oklahoma and chosen for their erosion control properties.
Construction was completed in Spring 2009.
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CONSTRUCTION” - Joe Kowalski, PE
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HEIGHT
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“Using Redi-Rock simplified construc-
geogrid winter, the county needed a solution stallation and the ability to build walls
tion greatly,” reports Joe Kowalski,
geogrid that wouldn’t require provisions for up to 15 feet without reinforcement
P.E., principal of Kowalski Engineer-
geogrid heating and curing. are the reasons engineers across the
NO GEOGRID OR TIE-BACKS ing. “We just built the Redi-Rock wall, country are specifying Redi-Rock.
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Less Setback to property line More setback to property line ing Redi-Rock to construct the abut- Simplify construction on your next
Clermont County saved precious ments, the choice was clear. By us- storm water project—specify Redi-
geogrid time and money by using Redi-Rock ing Redi-Rock’s massive one-ton Rock today.
precast retaining wall blocks to con- retaining wall blocks, the county was
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struct the abutments for this Ohio able to construct the walls faster than
bridge. Originally, the county con- cast-in-place. Additionally, the walls
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sidered using cast-in-place bridge required less reinforcement than oth- www.redi-rock.com
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
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abutments. But since construction
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© copyrighted Scranton Gillette Communication, Inc.
Reprinted with permission from STORM WATER SOLUTIONS November/December 2009 10062