Bellevue City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli has released a plan for the continuing cleanup of the Daniell Trail in the Two Springs area. The plan was outlined to the Bellevue City Council members in a memo earlier today. The memo from City Administrator Mangiamelli reads as follows:
"As you are aware, the section of the Daniell Trail in the Two Springs area suffered significant tree damage in the June storm. Crews from the Parks Department have been working since the storm to clear the trail of debris so that hanging limbs can be taken down and removal of fallen tree trunks adjacent to the trail can occur. Area property owners have assisted with some of the immediate cleanup and that assistance is much appreciated. The clearing of the trail is necessary to provide sufficient work area for the more intensive effort required to remove trunks and other fallen trees from the drainageway and areas off of the trail. The trail will remain closed to the public while this cleanup continues.
City crews will continue over the next few weeks to complete the first phase of cleanup clearing room for access for the more intensive work. Once mowing season winds down and other park obligations for scheduled events have subsided, the crews will begin on October 16 an effort to complete the next phases of removal. The crews will be scheduled for four ten hour workdays (Monday through Thursday) concentrating on this effort only, subject to weather permitting; an early snow fall may preempt this effort. This Phase 2 will target efforts from the beginning of the trail off of 34th Street proceeding northeast to 33rd Avenue.
The city is seeking assistance for use of specialized equipment for this phase from Sarpy County and, if unavailable, from area contractors. We will be contacting FEMA to identify this continuing effort and that we will seek inclusion of the costs as part of our reimbursement request. This phase is anticipated to continue through November 16. Tree debris removal will be taken to the old landfill site on Cedar Island Road.
Beginning November 27, a Phase 3 cleanup will be initiated north of 33rd Avenue to the Oakhurst area. This phase will again constitute crews working ten hour days through December 21, as done in Phase 2.
We anticipate further weakened trees and limbs to fall from this storm over the next several years as wind events occur.
Cleanup of this trail and its reopening to the public is a priority."
A complete copy of the memo is included as an attachment to this article.