Neighborhood Advisory

Construction of the Rockcrest Park stream restoration project will begin in October by Meadville Land Services, Inc. of Meadville, Pennsylvania.  The project will not start in September as previously reported due to a delay in receiving permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Department of the Environment. 

Additionally, some community members have expressed concern about the possibility of the presence of rodents during construction.  In response to those concerns, rodent bait stations will be placed along the project’s edge before construction.  They will be secured to fences or staked into the ground along the perimeter of the park, adjacent to work areas, at 50-foot to 75-foot intervals. 

The bait stations are small black plastic boxes, approximately 10 inches by 4 inches.  The bait stations are designed so that pets, children, and wildlife cannot access the bait.  They also are moisture resistant so the bait cannot wash away or leach out of the boxes.  The bait stations are locked and tamper resistant.  Due to the type of bait used, it is expected that the rats will typically die in their burrows and not in or near the boxes.

The construction work will generally be conducted upstream to downstream in phases consisting of 50 linear feet of stream to several hundred linear feet of stream.  The bait stations will be placed about 14 days prior to construction in each phase.  The bait stations will be installed and maintained by Alexandria Pest Services, Inc., a contractor for the City.  The stations will be inspected at least once-per-month.  Installation of the first set of stations will begin on or about September 25. 

If you notice any deceased rats, please contact City of Rockville Police Department – Animal Control 240-314-8900

September 21, 2006