Long troubled area of Bradenton's Ware's Creek project finally finished

BRADENTON -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week announced completion of the $57 million Ware's Creek flood mitigation project, including work in the long troubled area between 17th and 21st avenues west.

Residents are finally breathing a sigh of relief after two long years of construction and uncertainty after the firing of one contractor that caused a long delay before work resumed last July.

"We are pleased to report that we have completed construction of the federal project at Ware's Creek and are in the process of turning it over to Manatee County public works for future operation and maintenance," said Corps spokeswoman Amanda Parker.

"The only remaining activity is the 90-day sod establishment period. We want to express our sincerest thanks to the community for their support as we worked to deliver this important project to the residents of Manatee County."

Sod work has been completed and for the most part is taking hold and doing well. But there is one section that appears to be a problem and it is in the section that has seen the most issues.

While relieved to see the work conclude, resident Mark Cosgrove, who lives

on the creek at the end of 18th Street Court West, said the sod work along his yard and the bank of the creek is presenting some concerns.

"It looked great when they were done the first time, but when they came back in to do the add-on, that's when a 5,500-pound excavator was in my yard for over a month, destroying the sod they had just laid when they left the first time," he said. "At that point, they should have re-graded the area. They didn't."

The initial sod work was effective, but when the contractor returned with heavy equipment to complete the change order project, Cosgrove said all they did was throw various types of bad sod down for a quick fix. The result of the work has left Cosgrove's yard pitching the wrong way and full of holes and bumps both in his yard and leading to the bank of the creek, where there are signs the sod is washing out. Cosgrove said, in all, the area was sodded four different times, "and every time they did it, it got worse. There are at least three different kinds of grass, but that's not the big problem."

There are areas of the creek bank where the sod is already dead and is slipping down the bank. Cosgrove said the wrong-way pitch in his yard won't allow water to drain naturally to the creek as it did before and could create a flooding issue for his home.

Cosgrove received an email from Corps project manager Beau Corbett about his concerns, saying, "Please understand that the standard for grading and sodding in the federal contract may not be the same standard you would expect from a professional landscaper."

According to Parker, the federal standard requires the contractor to ensure healthy sod within three months of installation per terms of the contract. The sod has a one-year warranty and will be reinspected every so often. Parker said should any issues arise that are contractor-related, the contractor will be responsible to fix it.

"We have worked very closely with Mr. Cosgrove to address his concerns throughout the course of the project," said Parker.

"We value this community and addressing their questions and concerns has been a top priority ... the sod placed within the easement area of the property is for functional purposes. It is used to manage erosion and to maintain the bank, it is not used for landscaping or beautification purposes."

Cosgrove said it isn't working and said he was "astounded" that Corps officials didn't notice the problem. He said other Corps representatives agreed with him that the current sod work is unacceptable, "only to find out someone said it was fine. This isn't about looks. It's about safety."

In March, Cosgrove showed video and photographic evidence of the many mishaps and questionable behaviors of the latest contractor's workers from Miami-based PAC Comm, which has not returned a call for comment. The evidence showed workers blocking his driveway at all hours, damaging a fire hydrant, driving carelessly through the neighborhood and throwing trash on the ground and in the creek.

Parker said Corps representatives addressed the contractor before and after they viewed the photos and video. After viewing the evidence, "We have received no further reports that these actions have continued," said Parker.

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 11:42 PM with the headline "Long troubled area of Bradenton's Ware's Creek project finally finished ."