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Completed City Projects Make for a Better Lansing

CSO Control Program and Major Road Projects Improve Lansing's Health, Environment and Infrastructure

November 18, 2010

Lansing ----- With the completion of 2010 Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Program projects and other major construction initiatives drawing near, it's easy to see Lansing becoming cleaner, greener and healthier.

The city's sewage system saw vast improvements during the 2010 construction season. The CSO Control Program constructed approximately three miles of new sanitary sewer area, four miles of new water main and four and a half miles of reconstructed roadway in two of Lansing's busiest areas.

Two areas in particular received major CSO improvements during the 2010 season:

  • West Saginaw Street between Westmoreland Avenue and North Chestnut Street

  • South Washington Avenue between Mt. Hope Avenue and Holmes Road

"The CSO Control Program and other wet weather programs in Lansing have wide-reaching goals" said Chad Gamble, P.E., director of public service. "These improvements to our infrastructure are leading to cleaner rivers and lakes and a healthier, more beautiful environment for all of Mid-Michigan."

Both projects, which utilized funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, included sewer separation, new water mains and road work on several local streets. In addition to these projects, Grand Avenue also received streetscape beautification in the central downtown area, following the completion of CSO work on the street from 2009.

Major successes in both CSO project areas included a smooth flow of traffic on roadways surrounding Ingham Regional Medical Center and Sparrow St. Lawrence campus (two of the largest medical facilities in our region). Despite these shifts in traffic, businesses along West Saginaw Street and South Washington Avenue were open and accessible throughout the construction season.

While the CSO Control Program continues to be a success, major improvements to the City's other infrastructure were also completed during the 2010 construction season. These projects include:
  • American Recovery & Reinvestment Act: Edgewood Boulevard between Cedar Street and Washington Avenue was resurfaced; Holmes Road between Pleasant Grove and Deerfield was resurfaced, and was reconstructed between Deerfield and Waverly Road

  • Surface Transportation Program: Pavement was replaced on Keystone Avenue between Pennsylvania Avenue and Enterprise Drive, and Executive Drive between Miller Road and Keystone Avenue

  • Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvement Program: Continued the rehabilitation of 12 local streets

  • Gravel Street Paving: Two areas of gravel road, Raymond Street and Bliesener Street, underwent paving

  • Bridge Repair: The Kalamazoo Street bridge was completed with a deck resurfacing and minor preventative maintenance; The Pennsylvania Avenue bridge had its deck resurfaced and is undergoing minor structural repairs this fall or next spring

  • Sidewalk Construction: A sidewalk was constructed along Grand River Avenue between Waverly Road and North Grand River Avenue

  • CSX Railroad Crossing Replacement: Four railroad crossings were replaced: Michigan Avenue, May Street, Pennsylvania Avenue and Hosmer Street
    Preliminary projects for the 2011 construction season include:

  • CSO Control Program: Oakland Avenue between Walnut Street and MLK Boulevard as well as local streets between Oakland Avenue and Comstock Park will undergo separation

  • American Recovery & Reinvestment Act: Jolly Road between Aurelius Road and Dunckel Road will undergo resurfacing

  • Surface Transportation Program: Kalamazoo Street between Larch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue will be reconstructed; Pennsylvania Avenue between Miller Road and Cedar Street will be resurfaced; Clippert Street between Saginaw Street and Kalamazoo Street will be resurfaced; Turner Street between Sheridan Road and Carrier Street will be reconstructed

  • Sidewalk Construction: One new sidewalk construction project is planned along Jolly Road east of Dunckel Road and Dunckel Road north of Jolly Road

The CSO Control Program is a 30-year initiative to separate the City of Lansing's outdated single-pipeline sewer system into a dual-pipeline system, so sewage and runoff are carried separately. This work has already dramatically reduced sewage overflows in completed project areas - as much as 952.1 million fewer gallons of sewage overflow hit Lansing's rivers each year as a result.

Maps and details regarding these major projects can be found online at www.Lansingmi.gov and www.LansingCSO.com. For the latest news and developments on the CSO Control Program, and to learn more about the environment and living green, join Swish the Fish's Facebook Fan Page and follow him on Twitter (see left).

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