A dirt-hauling truck and wheel excavator were on Wilson Road last week - not because of nearby construction but because a 53-year-old steam line had leaked underground.

A maintenance crew of four, consisting of Maintenance Mechanic IIs Dean Fischer and Earl King, Maintenance Mechanic I Kevin Lawrence and Trades Aide Jason Crowell, started digging on the morning of Feb. 19 after Maintenance Services Manager Ken Crowell was notified the day before of a direct-buried steam line leak northeast of the laundry building at Cherry Lane Apartments.

Pipefitter II Mark Green said this type of steam leak is rare because the steam is not corrosive to the metal tunnel, which usually doesn’t cause leaks.

Direct-buried steam pipes take steam from the power plant and channel it for use to various areas on campus.

"This is the third time I've seen a direct-buried steam line leak (since I've been here)," said Green, who has worked at the Physical Plant for almost 20 years.

The crew exposed the leak Friday afternoon after almost two days of digging. Steam was shut off to faculty apartments there at 10 a.m. Monday morning while Welder II Jason Van Aken (pictured) repaired the pipe by welding the leak closed.

Steam was back on by 2 p.m. that day.

According to University Engineer Bob Nestle, the repair efforts over the past week underscore the importance of the steam distribution and road reconstruction project underway now on Wilson and Birch Roads.

"Completion of the new steam line along Birch Road will strengthen the steam distribution in that area," he said. "That will facilitate repairs of failures like what happened on Wilson Road with even less disruption to building occupants."

For more information on the Wilson/Birch Steam Distribution and Road Reconstruction project, visit www.construction.msu.edu.

February 25, 2009