The Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners on May 24 adopted a budget for enlarging the culvert in North Boundary Canal in Columbia and elevating North Road Street over the new culvert.

The project’s goal is “to prevent localized flooding and overtopping,” and the commissioners expect it to cost $730,000.

The county anticipates receiving $400,000 from a Critical Needs Infrastructure Grant and $305,000 from the N.C. Department of Transportation. The county is to contributed $25,000.

North Road Street is a state-maintained secondary road (SR1209), which explains NCDOT’s contribution.

The commissioners also contracted with Rivers & Associates, an engineering firm in Greenville, to oversee the bidding and construction phases of the project. That contract is for $62,500.

Two week later, on June 5, town manager Rhett White reiterated to the Columbia Board of Aldermen that Dominion Energy wants $115,000 to $120,000 to relocate four power poles situated in the project area.

Efforts are being made to induce Dominion to lower its cost, White said, explaining that two of the poles were installed after the upgrade project was announced.

Dominion is reviewing a plan to eliminate one pole and relocate the other three, at less cost, he added.

White alluded to a potential delay because the town’s easement records have not been found.

And he said the road improvement project will close North Road Street to vehicle traffic for “a few days minimum.”

The town recently was denied a grant request for $685,000 to upgrade the road and dredge North Boundary Canal from Road Street to Scuppernong River, but an application for $200,00 for dredging is to be filed with help from the Albemarle Resource Conservation & Development District and the Soil and Water Conservation Service.

Once the money is committed, the town will apply for environmental regulators’ permission to dredge the canal. The regulators dislike considering applications until project funding is in place, White said.

And he added that no dredging can occur in North Boundary Canal before November 30 because environmental regulations protect fish migration there until then.

White was of the opinion that dredging North Boundary Canal and installing a larger culvert at North Road Street will be beneficial in rainfall events, “but wind-driven water is problematic.”

Mayor Michael Griffin added, “Studies show that raising the road will make flooding worse.”

White said he and other officials in low-lying towns are continuing their efforts to persuade state grant administrators that drainage ditches and canals are “infrastructure,” and that the term “storm drains” ought not be limited to underground pipes when money is distributed to aid in recovery from weather-related disasters.