Pinthouse Pizza
Interesting Test Borings
RECEIVED Tue., Oct. 24, 2023
Dear Editor,
I’d like to point out a serious problem with the I-35 expansion plan.
Next to the old Seaholm power plant in Downtown is the two-plus acre Sand Beach Park. For more than 40 years this land was the “lay-down yard” where Austin Energy stored new and used construction material like transformers. The transformers were the old type, which contained cancer-causing PCBs and they often leaked. Consequently, liquid PCBs probably leaked into the unpaved yard and subsequently into nearby Ladybird Lake, leaving Austin Energy (and Austin taxpayers) with a potentially very expensive Superfund site. I assume that’s why the property was not developed; it couldn’t be because soil tests would have revealed the PCB pollution.
For financial reasons the city of Austin would prefer to ignore the issue by leaving the Park and lake-bottom undisturbed. But any construction in the river (like the new I-35 bridge’s pilings) would require test borings, disturb the bottom, and reveal the presence of PCBs, thus opening-up the Superfund/remediation issue. So either the bridge must span the river without putting supports in the river, (adding greatly to the cost) or the powers-that-be must find some creative way to hide the potential violation of federal environmental laws from the public.
Keep a close eye on the construction permits and especially any test borings in the river. This could be fun to watch. Who will be asked to bear the extra “unanticipated” costs?
I’d like to point out a serious problem with the I-35 expansion plan.
Next to the old Seaholm power plant in Downtown is the two-plus acre Sand Beach Park. For more than 40 years this land was the “lay-down yard” where Austin Energy stored new and used construction material like transformers. The transformers were the old type, which contained cancer-causing PCBs and they often leaked. Consequently, liquid PCBs probably leaked into the unpaved yard and subsequently into nearby Ladybird Lake, leaving Austin Energy (and Austin taxpayers) with a potentially very expensive Superfund site. I assume that’s why the property was not developed; it couldn’t be because soil tests would have revealed the PCB pollution.
For financial reasons the city of Austin would prefer to ignore the issue by leaving the Park and lake-bottom undisturbed. But any construction in the river (like the new I-35 bridge’s pilings) would require test borings, disturb the bottom, and reveal the presence of PCBs, thus opening-up the Superfund/remediation issue. So either the bridge must span the river without putting supports in the river, (adding greatly to the cost) or the powers-that-be must find some creative way to hide the potential violation of federal environmental laws from the public.
Keep a close eye on the construction permits and especially any test borings in the river. This could be fun to watch. Who will be asked to bear the extra “unanticipated” costs?
David Miller