Road Closures:

Note: Glen Road scheduled to reopen 29-10-21.

Lower portion of Minorca Hill to close 01/11/2021 to 17/12/2021:



........................................................................................................................................

'Police Station Culvert'

Our Ref:               AK1108E19 Your Ref:

Contact:               A.C.Kneen

Date:                    25/11/2019

Dear Resident

WORK ON GLEN ROAD, LAXEY

The Department of Infrastructure wishes to update you on its ongoing works in and around Glen Road.

Work continues on the replacement Glen Road river wall. Significant ground works have had to be done in the section of the wall that has been erected at the lower end of the valley. The next stage of this work has been complicated by the need to reroute an existing electrical supply that runs under the road along where the footing for the next part of the wall is to be installed. The old wall had virtually no footings, which made it extremely vulnerable to the effect of flood water. This additional work on the services has by necessity slowed progress. The new wall is to extend the same length as the old wall. Due to the ground conditions, a slightly different design for the base of the wall has been possible for the remaining part of the new wall. This different design is simpler and is expected to permit the work to progress more quickly. The final appearance of the wall will be uniform throughout. The new wall will include a 3.5 metre wide, water tight access point to allow for future river maintenance. It is envisaged that the wall will be completed by mid-February 2020 and will include the reinstatement of the road surface.

Department of Infrastructure workers are also working on Glen Road installing a new larger capacity culvert adjacent to the former police station. This is designed to take water from the stream adjacent to this building and then discharge it in the river further down the valley.

The team is also installing an entirely new separate surface water drainage system to deal with rainwater on the road surface. There will be additional gullies on the carriageway and this system will also discharge into the river. Both measures are being taken to address the flooding issues in this part of the road.

The culvert adjacent to the Department's depot (beside laxey football pitch) has been assessed as having insufficient capacity when there is very heavy rainfall. A new system is being designed and will be installed in due course. This will necessitate the road to be excavated. This work will not be started until both ends of Glen Road are open in order that disruption to residents is minimised.

The Department, Manx Utilities and private contractors have conducted a comprehensive scheme of tree felling along the river banks. This work is designed to reduce the incidence of debris entering the river when in flood and causing blockages, which in turn cause the river level to rise, This is an ongoing project with riverside felling continuing further up the Laxey valley.

There are various parts of the riverbank and private walls abutting the river that were affected by the flood. These have been inspected by Manx Utilities and in some cases temporary repairs made, whilst further actions are to be determined.

The grassed area around the tennis court and skate park was damaged in the early days of recovery after the recent flood. This has been reseeded by contractors acting for the Department and will be inspected regularly in case further work is required.

The Department is also currently working at various locations higher in the Laxey valley, both within the village and in hills above. This work includes clearing ditches, drains, gullies and culverts, which in some cases have become blocked by silt and stone carried by October's flood water. Other works include reinstatement of lanes washed away by flood water and reconstruction of stream banks that affect the integrity of roads. There are elements of surface water systems that have been redesigned and rebuilt to better direct water away from road surfaces and into the drainage system. There is further work planned to replace some culverts that have failed, or are considered to have insufficient capacity.

Although these works, and other works by Manx Utilities further up the river are not in and around Glen Road, they are intended to reduce the risk of flooding in the valley floor by ensuring water is directed appropriately.

A.C.Kneen