City of Shawnee Protects Residential Intersection with Drainage Improvements

An aging corrugated metal pipe (CMP) located under 71st and Midland, a major residential intersection, needed to be replaced. The City of Shawnee, Kansas knew the current solution was failing. They were looking for a partner who could help them find the best path forward.

Our stormwater group began the project by conducting a hydraulic analysis to check the capacity of the existing pipe and determine what should replace it. Based on our findings, a reinforced concrete box (RCB) was selected because of the size of the pipe and pipe connections. To make this change, we would need to reconstruct the street and make new pipe connections.

A headwall, wingwalls, and riprap were added downstream to prevent erosion where water from the new RCB would empty into the creek. Along with these changes, we designed some sidewalk reconstruction and coordinated our plans with utilities.

During construction, the intersection had to be shut down, so the RCB could be installed. This meant the contractor had a limited amount of time to complete the changes. Collaboration with the contractor and residents was critical to our success. Open lines of communication mitigated any issues related to the working in residents’ backyards. It also kept things moving through the tight construction schedule.

By making these proactive changes, the City of Shawnee is moving their community forward. Not only are they protecting residents from the effects of a failing CMP, they are maintaining the reliability of their infrastructure.