Bollards on Bagby
The award winning new streetscape on Bagby south of Pierce St. in Houston includes a very substantial curving row of steel bollards to protect a large pedestrian area at the intersection of Bagby and Pierce. This post is too share a great looking design and offer observations about the issue faced by whoever has to fix the one that served it purpose; i.e. stopped a vehicle from driving onto the sidewalk.
This photo does not do justice to the substantial amount of steel that is used. As you can see at the base of the bent one the support going through the pavers and into the ground below appears to be in the 4-inch diameter range. Also notice the stain on the pavers that appears to be oil. Likely that is from the power-steering fluid reservoir or perhaps an oil cooling line running into the radiator. Regardless where it came from the pavers should be replaced when the bollard is repaired. We will hope they have an attic stock of pavers provided by the construction contract.
The problem with a bollard, even a plain drab bollard, is they are in places to protect something or someone and built substantially enough to stop a heavy vehicle. So, be ready to repair it and ask your designer what provisions they made to make the repair less costly and completed more timely.
An interesting observation with this bent bollard is that the pavers are not buckled behind it. That indicates a substantial foundation. A strong foundation is great until you need to take it out to repair or replace the bollard. I will watch to see what is uncovered and the effort required. Watch for updates to the post. If anyone wants details of the foundation then contact the Midtown Management District.
A potential installation method to simplify repairs would be to cast into a drill pier a steel sleeve sized to accept the center pipe of the bollard. Then when the bollard needs to be removed it can be pulled from the sleeve. There would need to be a secure way to fasten the center pipe to the cast-in-place sleeve so the bollard could not easily be stolen.
