CTH-DM and Clinton Road Reconstruction
2022 Engineering Excellence State Finalist
Entering Firm: Baxter & Woodman Inc.
Client: Village of Windsor
Drainage in Morrisonville was so bad that residents nicknamed their town “Frog Town USA” because of the amount of water standing around. Existing drainage ditches weren’t working, and the nearby Yahara River meant that any rainfall event ended with flooded basements and washed-out roads.
Baxter & Woodman immediately crafted a solution to improve drainage to the Yahara River. Houses along the road had limited elevation resulting in pooling water that inevitably end up in their basements. This water had to be diverted. A new drainage system provided three major ways for rainfall to reach the Yahara River. Extra-large culverts and new drainage swales improve existing ditches and provide maximum effect.
The design team also reconstructed the main road to minimize additional runoff. The previous road had pushed water towards basements instead of ditches. A valley curb was installed which diverted rainfall to drainage ditches. In the ditches themselves, a gravity drain system was implemented. This collected water in specific places that were best for drainage and countered the low-lying elevation near the river.
Since the solution was implemented, no basement flooding has been reported and standing water is at a minimum. This solution makes everyone happy, except maybe the frogs.
