Benchmark Terms

[+ajkormann]

I've been looking to find "JU1734" for some time. I ride my bike past it all the time. The text is: "DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1966 AT WEST CHESTER. AT WEST CHESTER, 0.1 MILE NORTHWEST ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 322 FROM THE JUNCTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY 322 AND STATE HIGHWAY 162 AT THE WEST EDGE OF WEST CHESTER, 30 FEET NORTHEAST OF THE APPROXIMATE CENTER OF HIGHWAY, 1.2 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE NORTHWEST END OF HEADWALL, SET IN THE TOP OF THE NORTHWEST END OF NORTHEAST HEADWALL OF A BOX CULVERT AND IS ABOUT 1 FOOT BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE HIGHWAY."

 

What is a HEADWALL and BOX CULVERT? That might help with identifying the critter. Is there a link someone can point me to which gives defintions. Google was less then helpful.

 

Thanks.

[Z15]

A box culvert is just that, a culvert in the shape of a box when you observe from an open end. It will have 4 sides; top, bottom and 2 sides. Sometimes there are only 3 sides, no bottom but that would be incorrect to call that a box. A culvert with 3 sides, top and 2 sides and no floor but the stream bed etc is called a Slab Culvert.

 

When looking at the culvert from the end view, the headwall is portion that spans the culvert and rises to the surface to prevent erosion of the bank. You might think of it as a curb. Not all culvert will have headwalls, there in none in the image below.

 

Also, modern culverts are precast such as this one, but they were also cast in place.

 

 

The high wall in this image is a headwall. The walls extending out on the side from the opening are called wing walls.

 

Edited April 15, 2007 by Z15

[+ajkormann]

That makes sense. I'll take a look at it when the weather is better. I'm guessing I'm looking for a small round disk.

[+RazorbackFan]

I can't add anything more to Z15's excellent description and pictures of box culverts. However, I did do some quick searching of topo maps and aerial imagery of the area. It appears that there is a little creek that runs under highway 322 just Northwest of the intersection of W Marshall Street. If you have a GPSr I'd try looking around N 39°57.644, W 75°37.172. It was last reported found in December of 2001. If it looks like the culvert has been replaced in the last 5 years, there is a chance that it is gone. Good luck! Let us know if you find it!