Erwin eyes end-of-year finish for South Industrial Drive

Erwin's path to recovery from Tropical Storm Helene is moving forward after months of delay, but town leaders say federal red tape and leftover debris continue to slow progress on key industrial and infrastructure projects.During an Oct. 27 meeting of the Erwin Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the town's disaster consultant, Tracy Hilburn, provided long-awaited updates on several Helene recovery projects, including South Industrial Drive and the Riverview Industrial Park.Hilburn said federal processes, including the current government shutdown, have slowed the pace of certain kinds of disaster aid. One of the biggest remaining challenges, he explained, involves sediment and debris still piled in the Riverview Industrial Park since last year's storm. The town cannot legally remove debris from private or commercial property, which has complicated its efforts to secure cleanup assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency."The big ticket items that have happened in the last 30 days are FEMA saying you cannot remove debris from the industrial park," Hilburn said. "Then Tim (Erwin City Recorder) and I explained to them the potential detrimental effect of the rain and 75,000 cubic yards of sediment that remains in the park and potential flood impacts."Hilburn said FEMA initially denied the town's request for help in September but has since taken a closer look after visiting the site."They're now trying to determine how they can make the sediment eligible," he said. "On Sept. 30, they sent two people here from Virginia to observe the sediment."Engineers used lidar equipment to assess the buildup and submitted written reports on how it could alter drainage patterns in the industrial area. Before permanent reconstruction begins, Hilburn said, the town will need to secure a no-rise certificate to prove any new construction will not increase flooding risks."The additional sediment skews the drains because it's so flat through there," he said. "If you build something inside a floodplain or it affects a waterway, you've got to prove that there is no way to back it up upstream or downstream."Hilburn said FEMA is now reviewing whether sediment removal can be made eligible for funding, with an update expected this week. The town already has a contractor ready to begin once approval is granted."Hopefully we have good news this week and hopefully for the upcoming week, we'll start that debris removal," he said.Plans to rebuild South Industrial Drive are also moving ahead. Hilburn said the work will focus on permanent repairs rather than temporary fixes. Geo-technical engineers have completed their assessments, and the project is expected to go out for bid next week, though the debris in the park will need to be removed first before construction begins."It is still obtainable to have this done before the end of the year, to have the road passable for all the industries in the industrial park," he said.Hilburn also addressed the future of the Erwin Linear Trail, which sustained heavy damage during the hurricane. Portions of the former trail near the river are now unusable."There's no ground there at all," he said. The current plan would realign the path to run parallel with Industrial Park Road and Martin Creek before reconnecting with the existing trail near Erwin Utilities property.The estimated cost for the trail and related facilities totals about $7.6 million. Hilburn said about $4.3 million is already secured, with FEMA reviewing additional funding requests. Those funds could also support other recovery projects, including a new fire truck, a maintenance building at Fishery Park, downtown sidewalk and asphalt repairs and upgrades to the town's public safety and parks equipment.Hilburn said FEMA has already approved $360,000 to replace damaged asphalt downtown and $165,000 for work on North Industrial Drive.He noted that North and South Industrial drives are expected to connect in the future, though that will depend on property acquisitions by Erwin Utilities from CSX Transportation. The land would provide construction access and determine the layout of future improvements.Despite the obstacles, Hilburn said the town is moving forward."There's funding in place, engineering is being done, and movement is being made for the road," he said, noting it is in FEMA's hands at this point.