Approximate location of the alleged violation by Duke Energy.
(Courtesy of City of Bloomington)
UPDATE: The Board of Public Works upheld all fines against Duke Energy except for two on June 9 in the amounts of $2,000 and $400. Duke will have to pay the remaining $1,800 in fines. The board also approved Duke's request for a lane closure on North Dunn and 17th streets from July 19 to Dec. 31 as part of its initiative for new power lines.
The City of Bloomington has fined Duke Energy $4,200 for allegedly violating city code while working on a power line project last month.
Duke Energy faces a total of six fines related a pole replacement on South Rogers Street as part of its Bloomington Reliability Project, an initiative to establish new power lines along Rogers, 11th and Dunn streets.
Of the fines, Duke has appealed four — including the two most expensive ones in the amounts of $2,000 and $1,000.
The earliest two fines — for $500 and $100 — are dated June 7. A staff report said the city received a complaint from a wheelchair user against Duke on that date as it was doing work near 1525 S. Rogers St., the site of The Warehouse recreation center.
The complaint alleged the sidewalk was partially blocked by gravel despite Duke not receiving approval to place the material there. Duke also did not place barricades or signs to block off that portion of the sidewalk. It did not have a permit to close the sidewalk.
Duke has not appealed either fine, adding in a letter, “Although the contractor thought he was in full compliance, (Duke Energy) agrees the sidewalk on June 7 should have been closed and marked as closed.”
Gravel backfill blocking sidewalk on June 7 (Courtesy of City of Bloomington)
The city also fined Duke $1,000 and $200 on June 8. On that date, city staff saw there were signs and barricades placed southbound for pedestrians, but none at the southern extent of the closure. Staff also saw the gravel had not been removed, according to the report.
Duke has appealed both those fines, adding, “By June 8, 2023, the sidewalk had been closed and marked accordingly. Despite this closure, the City fined (Duke Energy) on that date because the sidewalk was not closed on both sides even though the sidewalk ends, and a small portion of that end was being worked on. It would not have been possible to engage in the sidewalk repair had a sign been put up on both sides.”
Signage only on north side of sidewalk path on South Rogers Street on June 8 (Courtesy of City of Bloomington)
The last two fines are dated June 9 and amount to $2,000 and $400. On that date, staff saw Duke performing repairs to the sidewalk that would allow it to be fully opened. However, the southern portion of the sidewalk remained open without any barricades, according to the report.
The sidewalk was made passable by the end of the day June 9.
Duke has appealed both fines. In a letter, the company wrote, “By June 9, 2023, the sidewalk was repaired and passable. The fines levied for that date (totaling another $2,400) are therefore, without a legal basis and DEI should not be asked to pay them.”
Sidewalk restoration with bag concrete mix on June 9 (Courtesy of City of Bloomington)
The staff report expresses support for Duke’s appeal for the June 9 fine for $400, which is for “excavation materials and backfill,” as Duke had removed the gravel from the sidewalk the day prior.
Duke Energy will present its case to the city’s three-member board of public works at a meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
