A crew is almost finished with installation of a new storm drainthat should improve water runoff around Brookway Boulevard andHighway 51.

Clay Hooks, in charge of wholesale operations for Craddock Oil,expected work on a larger 60-inch drain pipe to be completed todaynear the Blue Sky convenience store. It is replacing a 50-inchdrain pipe.

“The old culvert was in bad shape,” Hooks said.

Hooks said about 114 feet of culvert were being replaced inseveral sections. Work began last week.

“We got held up because of the bad weather (last) Wednesday,”Hooks said.

Activity resumed this week. Hooks said concrete to cover thenewly installed pipe would be done today but will need time tocure, so the area won’t be open to traffic until next week.

Hooks said the new culvert will solve drainage problems aroundthe convenience store and elsewhere. He said an engineer from thestate recommended the larger drainage pipe.

“We get a lot of water flowing through here,” said Hooks,mentioning drainage from along Highway 51 and other areas.

Hooks also mentioned flooding problems around the store duringheavy rain periods.

“Sometimes we get over three inches of water on the inches andit goes over the curb into my store,” Hooks said.

The runoff flows under the convenience store’s parking lot andempties into ditch in front of Burger King at the Brookhaven Streetintersection.