SSMC Investigates City of Orlando Storm Pipe

SSMC was recently contacted by the City of Orlando to investigate a 108" and a 96" storm pipe that makes sweeping turns through what is going to be the future home of a University of Central Florida downtown campus building. The current parking lot is going to be the site of the new downtown campus. The City's large storm pipe that used to run under the old Amway Arena is causing conflict with the proposed building layout. The arena is gone, but the pipe still remains. SSMC originally sent a surveyor down the outfall in Lake Dot in a kayak to traverse as much of the pipe as possible. SSMC met with the City on site as soon as the conflict was identified. SSMC prepped two dig crews to find and track the east edge of the 108" pipe as it curved towards a manhole. The City will need to build a new structure at this location and relocate the storm piping which stays surcharged with about 5 foot of water. SSMC completed finding the east edge within the requested area. The City brought in Blackwater Dive Team to enter the pipe and further map specifics of the turns in both the 96" and 108" pipes. These pipes are -15 foot deep, making the mapping more challenging than if they were shallow. SSMC aided the dive team in tracking the pipe curves by sending transmitters down into the pipes with the divers, so the location of the curves could be marked topside.