Stormwater board approves Ken Drive pipe installation, pending cost review

The Delaware County Stormwater Board voted to proceed with repairs to recurring flooding on Ken Drive, including installation of a pipe and related grading, with the work scheduled for after the asphalt season and contingent on staff cost estimates and final permission from property owners.

Board members said the roadway cannot be repaved until the flooding issue is fixed and that installing a pipe—estimated roughly 75–100 feet but possibly longer—would allow paving and reduce standing water. The board approved the motion by voice vote and asked staff to return with a projected cost before final authorization.

Staff said the work will require elevation shots and a more precise footage estimate; they will check grades to refine the pipe length and determine whether the tree currently in the natural waterway must be removed. Commissioners confirmed that prior property-owner permissions had been obtained in an earlier effort but noted a change in ownership since then; the new owner reportedly wants the flooding fixed. Board members also discussed the need to hydro-vac around utilities if digging near boxes and lines.

The board directed staff to obtain elevations, a quote, and a timetable and to schedule the work after the asphalt plants close so the county highway crew can perform it. The action was approved by voice vote with the condition that staff return with a cost estimate for formal confirmation.

The board did not set a firm start date; members said the project will likely be scheduled next year because of paving priorities and the need to “do it right.”