EAST LANSING, Mich. — A major construction project, entitled Infrastructure Restructure, will begin this spring in East Lansing, bringing much needed underground sewer improvements to Michigan Avenue, the Michigan-Harrison intersection and local streets in the area.
Infrastructure Restructure will create a more efficient system by increasing the sewage collection system capacity and improving flow to the Red Cedar Interceptor and Water Resource Recovery Facility, while decreasing flow to the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) basin. These improvements are expected to reduce the potential for CSO overflows to the Red Cedar River. The project also provides an opportunity to separate the storm flow from the Michigan Avenue right-of-way and send it directly to the Red Cedar River.
The project will be conducted in phases and will include underground construction at the Michigan-Harrison intersection and along Michigan Avenue, from Harrison Road to Highland Avenue. Construction will also take place on the west side of the Brody Complex on the MSU campus and a new sewer lining will be installed during a later phase of the project along University Drive, from Michigan Avenue to Oak Street; on Oak Street, from University Drive to Harrison Road; and on Harrison Road, from Oak Street to Huntington Road.
Work is expected to begin as early as April 1 and will be preceded by mobilization and site preparations in March. To accommodate the construction of new underground sewers in the area, it will be necessary to remove approximately 30 trees located in the median of Michigan Avenue. These trees will need to be removed by no later than March 31, as Indiana and Northern Long-Eared bats (federally-protected endangered and threatened species) will be returning to the area in April and will be nesting in community trees. As part of the site restoration at the completion of the project, all of the trees will be replaced.
The Infrastructure Restructure project will require phased lane closures along Michigan Avenue; however, at least one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction throughout the duration of the project. The project will also require a closure of the Michigan-Harrison intersection for two to three weeks in May. During this time, Harrison Road traffic will be able to turn, but will not be able to go through the intersection. The project will also require intermittent closures of crossovers along Michigan Avenue (crossovers will not all be closed simultaneously) and intermittent closures at the entrances of neighborhood streets off of Michigan Avenue during work in intersections.
The majority of construction related to this project is slated for completion in December 2019, with site restoration work planned for spring 2020.
Regular updates on this project will be provided at www.cityofeastlansing.com/infrastructurerestructure. Additionally, there will be project overview meetings at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, on Wednesday, March 13; including a meeting for businesses at 4 p.m. and a meeting for community members at 6 p.m.
Community members with questions can contact the East Lansing Department of Public Works at (517) 337-9459.