Comments on: ‘Major Public Safety Issue’ Gas Leaking Under Hwy 29

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 23:30:40 +0000

I always agree when you’re right.

By: Terri Sanders

Terri Sanders — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:11:50 +0000

Kudos to you David for being man enough to agree with me and admit it in public.Well almost publc ….FINALY!!!! LOL!!

By: Angi B.

Angi B. — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:56:06 +0000

This sounds very dangerous, I hope and pray that they get this fixed sooner than later. We surel don’t need any outraged explosions.

By: old trooper

old trooper — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:28:59 +0000

This sounds a little bit like cancer….it will not fix itself. Somebody needs to start working on a solution pretty darn quick. Pardon me while I listen to my Commander In Chief at the State of the Union Speech…..Uh Oh!

By: Ifish4

Ifish4 — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:10:33 +0000

I’m not very sure at all, but I believe that a portion of 29, was widened to 4 lanes from Burger King to near the courthouse in the mid 1970’s and then in the mid 1980’s it was widened from the courthouse to just south of Century, and in the late 80’s from near Century to McDavid near 164. I’m pretty sure about the part from the courthouse to just south of Century. The present road is lower in some places than the old 2 lane road, they lower it about 5 feet where I lived. The old road was left in between the lower outer lanes, until they were paved and traffic shifted onto the new lanes and the old road was then dug up. You had to turn off the higher old road, go down to the lower outer lanes then up to your driveway, which they didn’t maintain very well. I had just bought a brand new pickup truck, less than a 100 miles on it, started up my driveway during a rain, lost traction slid back into the higher old road bending the bumper. I called the company doing the work to speak to the owner and was told, “he is at the club.” I said, “that’s ok, I have his home number, (I did) I’ll call him about 2 AM in the morning he should be home.” Suddenly, they saw him pulling into the office parking lot.

By: Safebear

Safebear — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:07:18 +0000

Will it blow up? possibly – did you see what happened in Philadelphia last week?

the leak isn’t constant. – it probably isn’t detectable until the line is pressured up beyond a certain pressure

By: Jerry

Jerry — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:33:59 +0000

In November 1975, I opened a business in a building next to where Century Marine is now and as soon as I opened, the contractor began digging up the shoulder of the road right along there for the widening of the highway. There was a deep ditch out front that I thought they were putting gas lines in. Maybe not.
Anyway when they filled it in, it rained for several days and no one could get to the business. My timing was bad, but maybe that will give y’all a frame of reference.
I had a sign in the front window that said “In all things, give thanks.” Some of the construction crew came in one day and asked me if I really believed that. And I did – and I do.

By: Reading comprehension required

Reading comprehension required — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:58:29 +0000

Oh, wow, David, thank you for bringing back a fun memory. I had forgotten all about Elena and the horrible traffic jam. I worked at IGA back then and when I got off work (Marce decided to let us go home) we couldn’t leave the parking lot! None of the cars would let us out. I guess they thought that a few cars would keep them far enough behind to make a difference. Anyway, my friends and I had an impromptu Hurricane Party sitting on the side of Hwy 29 in the IGA parking lot. I laughed so hard that day my sides ached. Thanks for bringing back some good times.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:04:22 +0000

“David,
Do you know exactly when it was all done?”

I remember US 29 was 4 laned to just south of Watson’s store then 2 lane to Century up until Hurricane Elena back in 1985 showed what a bottleneck it was. (Not that it mattered because 113 was 2 laned to I-65 anyway.) I fondly remember directing merging traffic and several motorists ignoring and nearly killing several members of the McDavid VFD. It seemed some of the motorists thought if the hurricane had 110 mile per hour winds, the only way to stay ahead of it was to match speeds.

Good times.

Sorry I can’t help you more.

David the unhelpful and regretful

By: gobigblue

gobigblue — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:31:40 +0000

there are several things that can effect the citys ability to find the exact location of the leak. 1 depending on the type of gas meter they are using and how often it has been calibrated and rather it is a free flow meter, pump style or a flame pack and the experience level of the worker using it. 2 not knowing the depth of the pipe, gas will follow the route of least resistance and its not always in a straight line, the gas could follow a sewer main or water pipe several hundred feet before it finally surfaces. 3 weather conditions play a big roll in finding where leaks are, if the ground is wet it would make it harder for a small leak to make its way to the surface, as well as tring to find a leak on a windy day, or a day that is very humid or the barametric pressure is high .4 like someone said before, not knowing the line pressure and how consistant it is makes a big difference to trying to find it, if they line pressure is low due either to customer usage or line regulation it could make it harder to find as well. Being the line was laid 45 yrs ago makes a big difference, back then there were not as many regulations reguarding pipeline intstalation and corrosion control. I have been on other projects locally where we uncovers older pipes that either hadnt had any coating applied at all or it had rotted off years ago. the best idea is to replace the old pipe and save your money on the pigging operation and put it toward a new and improved pipe. this video is a little extreme compared to what we are talking about but maybe it will make you think about what could happen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSCz-35M9hA