Cedar Lake Parks Department - Cedar Lake, IN

Lynnsway Park is located in the Lynnsway Subdivision in Cedar Lake, IN.

When the Cedar Lake Parks Department wanted to make improvements to some of their parks using CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding they came to NIES.

NIES was able to work with the Park's Dept. throughout the design process in selecting ADA compliant equipment and designing a sidewalk configuration that ensured drainage. Site grading was carefully analyzed to ensure that runoff would not adversely affect the surrounding areas.

Upon completion of the design, NIES assisted with Bidding and award of the contract and the overseeing of construction, ensuring that the project was completed to the Town's specifications and within the allotted Federal and Town funding.

Residents can now enjoy a beautiful playground with ADA compliant sidewalks and equipment.

Key Points

• Funded with Grant Money
• ADA Compliant
• Reduced Maintenance Costs

Grit Washer - Thorn Creek Sanitary District, IL (2003)

The Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District’s Wastewater Treatment Plant in Chicago Heights, Illinois, was experiencing periodic rejection of waste solids at the landfill disposal site due to excess water.

A substantial portion of the excess water was contained in organic laden grit removed from the plant’s two grit removal tanks. Settled grit is removed from the grit tanks by a bucket elevator system and discharged to a horizontal screw conveyor that empties into a dumpster. The District decided to add a grit washer at the screw conveyor discharge point to remove water and organic material from the grit before discharging to the dumpster.

NIES Engineering, Inc. reviewed 5 installation alternatives, selecting an arrangement with orientation of the grit washer at a 60 degree angle to the axis of the screw conveyor. This minimized the cost of the building expansion required to house the new grit washer while maintaining maintenance access to the equipment and allowing for a bypass grit discharge point from the screw conveyor in case the grit washer was out-of-service.

Purchase of the grit washer equipment was bid separately and the Parkson Tru-Grit 400 grit washer, rated at 15 cuft/hour, was selected. In this unit, grit enters the top of the barrel section while washwater is injected at the bottom so that descending grit flows countercurrently to the rising water flow. The grit is also stirred to help separate organic matter, organic laden water is discharged from the top of the unit and clean grit settles to the bottom where it is removed by a shaftless spiral screw conveyor. The project construction cost of $373,300 also included rehabilitation of existing bucket elevator equipment and replacement of existing screw conveyor equipment, construction of a building expansion, HVAC system upgrades, enhanced equipment controls suitable for SCADA integration, site paving and piping improvements, and electrical and lighting system enhancements.

The District solved the excess water problem, removed 98% of organic material from the grit and reduced the total quantity of solids to be disposed at the landfill.

Key Points

• Multi-faceted
• Cost Effective Design

Local Street Reconstruction Dyer Street Reconstruction Town of Dyer, IN

NIES Engineering was selected as Project Engineer for the Design and Construction of the 2012 Dyer Street Reconstruction and Resurfacing Project. The project consisting of new curbs, sidewalks, driveways, aprons, parkway trees, storm sewers, water main replacement, sanitary sewer repairs and full depth asphalt pavement replacement.

This project was part of over Four Million Dollars worth of reconstruction and was a part of the Town’s bond financed and coordinated Utility and Roadway Improvement plan. Roadways selected for resurfacing and new water main installation included Dogwood Drive, Red Oak Drive, Aspen Drive, and a portion of Sycamore Drive, providing residents with a smooth driving surface, effective storm water drainage and efficient water main infrastructure.

Full reconstruction roadways consisted of Cottonwood Drive and Cherry Hill Road. New storm sewers were installed along these roadways aiding in efficient storm drainage. Sanitary sewer repairs eliminated vegetative root infiltration on the sanitary infrastructure. New water main was also installed along these two roadways eliminating the failing water system which burdened residents and the town with water main breaks.

Key Points

• Wider Roadway
• Cost Effective Rehabilitation
• Extended Life
• Improved Stormwater Runoff

Elm Ridge Park - Schererville, IN

Elm Ridge Park is located south of Route 30 along St. John Road in Schererville, IN. When the Schererville Parks Department wanted to make improvements to some of their parks using CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding they came to NIES.

NIES was able to work with the Park's Department through the design process in selecting equipment that was not only aesthetically pleasing but also ADA compliant. A poured-in-place aliphatic-urethane binder was specified to provide a highly durable and safe playground surface that was both water permeable and carried a performance guarantee of 10 years. Finally site design was carefully analyzed to ensure that drainage and runoff would not adversely affect the surrounding stormwater infrastructure. Upon completion of the design NIES assisted with bidding and award of the contract and the overseeing of construction, ensuring that the project was completed to the town's specifications and within the allotted federal and town funding.

Residents can now enjoy a beautiful playground with ADA compliant sidewalks, parking and equipment. The Town will spend considerably less money each year maintaining the old wood chip surface and enjoy a low maintenance park site for years to come.

Key Points

• Funded with Grant Money
• ADA Compliant
• Reduced Maintenance Costs