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Traverse City Set to Begin Sewer Repair Project Along the Boardman River

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Work starts next week on a major sewer repair project in Traverse City. High water levels and eroding soil are threatening a downtown sewer main that serves Traverse City’s west side.

Starting Monday, crews will work to stabilize the wall along the Boardman River and shore up the sewer line in the 200 block of East Front between Cass and Park Streets. That’s the alley along the river behind many downtown businesses.

The city says they’re getting $2.5 million from a state revolving fund to fix the sewer in two phases.

“This is our highest priority project to get moving on, out of a five-year plan,” says Director of Municipal Utilities Art Krueger. “We have a 24 inch main trunk-line sewer that serves the west half of the city, right behind that wall in the alley. It’s in jeopardy if the wall moves, comes unstable in the future, it could move the sewer and we could have a big leak into the Boardman River.”

Krueger says Phase Two will start in the spring. “We’re securing the wall to keep the sewer stable. And then in the other block, which is between Union and Cass Street, we’re moving the sewer away from the wall into the alley. That’s a project that will be this upcoming spring and summer.”

Also on the list for Traverse City’s five-year plan: $20 million worth of work at the city’s wastewater treatment plant, including pipe work and pump system upgrades. That project is set to start in 2024.

From the City of Traverse City:

The first project of the City’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Five Year Project Plan will kick off on December 13, 2022.

Over the past 25 years, conditions in the 100 & 200 block alley on E. Front Street along the Boardman River have deteriorated. Site inspections conducted in June 2021, noted significant soil subsidence and settling along the back of the retaining wall. Based on this field inspection, as well as a review of the original wall design and the results of a 2018 dive inspection, it was determined that the subsidence and settling were likely due to a loss of soil material (i.e. backfill) within about a 10-foot zone from the wall below the footing at various locations where the wall and footing were undermined. Engineers also noted that soil material loss was likely exacerbated by the high water level of the Great Lakes, which causes soil saturation and loss of consolidation of the backfill soils.

If the wall footing were to tip or move due to the lack of supporting soil beneath, it could cause a catastrophic failure of the sewer main allowing discharge directly into the Boardman River. Due to the critical nature of the 24-inch trunk line sewer, the project was identified to be the first in the CWSRF five year project plan.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Boardman River Stabilization Project will total nearly $2,500,000 and will be funded with bonds through a State of Michigan program with low interest loan rates.

To learn more about the Clean Water & Drinking Water project plans, .

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