The newest phase of the City of Dearborn's storm sewer separation is set to begin this spring, City Council announced Tuesday.
Council approved a contract for $13.14 million—with a $500,000 contingency for unforeseen circumstances—for this phase of construction, which will separate combined sanitary and sewer pipes along main roads in the affected area, as well as include repaving of the roads.
"It's a short-term inconvenience, but a long-term benefit," Dearborn City Council President Tom Tafelski said of the construction.
Expected to start during the 2013 construction season, the project will affect the area of CSO 4—from Wilson Avenue south to Cherry Hill, and from North Waverly east to North Elizabeth Street.
The construction is part of the city's ongoing efforts to stop the flow of sewage into the Rouge River, as mandated by the federal Clean Water Act.
CSO construction is also continuing in February in the neighborhood east of Telegraph, west of Outer Drive, south of Cherry Hill, and north of the Rouge River.
It's also expected that installation of sanitary sewer along northbound Telegraph Road between the Rouge River and South Highland Street will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The project is expected to take two weeks to complete, and will close South Highland to traffic from Telegraph Road during this time.
Sewer separation construction, as detailed in a 2011 public meeting, is expected to take up to 15 years to complete, starting with the projects that began in January 2012.
The construction is funded largely by the city's water and sewer fund, as well as low-interest, tax-supported state bonds—the latest series of which was also approved by council Tuesday. Small amounts of funding for the construction also come from local and major street funds.
For continued updates on residential CSO construction, plus other city construction projects, residents can subscribe to the city's construction blog at http://dearbornconstruction.wordpress.com.
Also, if you're a resident of the area, you should receive notice when it's time for your street. If you're looking to get more advanced notice, I would recommend calling the numbers listed on this page: http://dearbornconstruction.wordpress.com/projects/ Hope that helps!