Town of Speedway to line about 25 century-old manholes in Old Speedway

Brad Sloan, the Town of Speedway wastewater superintendent, said the town is lining approximately 25 manholes in Old Speedway — from 15th Street to 12th Street — to reduce stormwater entering the sanitary system and to avoid full manhole replacement.

The work matters because, Sloan said, deteriorating brick-and-mortar manholes allow stormwater into the sanitary system, which increases flows that do not need treatment and can contribute to flooding. "What they do is they come in, they pressure wash the manholes, they seal up any leaks and then they put the epoxy liner on that manhole," Sloan said. He added the liner is "guaranteed to last for 20 years or longer."

Sloan described the technical steps the contractor will take: pressure-wash the interior, repair leaks and apply an epoxy lining that restores the structure without pulling up and replacing the existing manhole. He said the method avoids shutting streets and is less expensive than full reconstruction. "This helps support the old structure and then you don't have to shut the streets down or anything like that. So it's actually cheaper," Sloan said.

Sloan gave a target completion date and contact information for questions. "The process should be done by September 8," he said. He asked residents with questions to contact him and provided the contact given on the broadcast: "Brad Sloan ... bslonespeedwayin dot gov" and (765) 621-5220 (as read on the broadcast).

The announcement did not specify a funding source, any required council action, or whether the work was performed by town crews or a contractor. No ordinance, grant or contract number was cited on the recording.

For neighbors: the work is concentrated in the Old Speedway area between 12th and 15th streets; residents who observe crews at manholes should expect interior cleaning and lining work and — according to Sloan — no full street closures for the lining process.