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Plainfield Charter Township - Wastewater System Extension - Saddle Ridge

Important Information

Plainfield Charter Township is extending its wastewater system to serve the Saddle Ridge neighborhood and the newly constructed Rockford Public Schools Edgerton Trails Elementary School in Algoma Township. A new lift station and force main will be constructed to pump the wastewater from the Saddle Ridge neighborhood to an existing trunk sewer near the Wolven Avenue and 10 Mile Road intersection.

Force main construction is expected to take place in the summer and fall of 2024. Lift station construction is expected to start in the fall of 2024 and be completed in the winter of 2025. Final restoration around the lift station site will take place in the spring of 2025.

Access/Traffic:

Traffic will be maintained along the force main route throughout construction, but single lane closures will be necessary to construct the force main. Traffic delays can be expected in the immediate area of force main construction.

Mail:

The contractor will work with residents and the USPS/delivery services to maintain delivery throughout construction.

Garbage Pickup:

The contractor will work with residents and waste haulers in the area to maintain service during construction.

Contact

P&N Engineer
Jeremy Kamp, PE
Project Engineer
(616) 432-6709

Contractor
Dean’s Excavating
Nate Wall
Project Manager
Office: (616) 636-5524

Plainfield Township
Rick Solle, PE
Director of Public Services
(616) 363-9660

August 9, 2024
This Week:
  • As of this week all of the force main has been installed from the new lift station site to across US-131. Dean’s will have to come back at a later date and install an air release structure near the entrance of Saddle Ridge.
  • Concrete restoration work within the Saddle Ridge neighborhood began end of this week.
  • De Witt Trenching completed the directional drill of the force main along the south side of 11 Mile Road.
Next Week:
  • WOLVEN AVENUE AND 11 MILE ROAD WILL BE CLOSED TO THRU TRAFFIC. Starting Monday, these roads will be closed to facilitate open cut excavation of the force main across the 11 Mile Road intersections at Elstner Avenue and Wolven Avenue. Local traffic will be maintained, and thru traffic will be detoured.
  • Dean’s crews will work on open cut force main construction along Elstner Avenue, including crossing the 11 Mile Road intersection. Dean’s will work to keep access through this intersection, but residents should expect some delays.
  • Dean’s crews will also work on open cut force main construction at the Wolven Avenue and 11 Mile Road intersection.
  • Dean’s will complete a hydrostatic test of the force main through the Saddle Ridge neighborhood to confirm there are no leaks in the pipe.
  • Restoration work within the Saddle Ridge neighborhood and along Edgerton Avenue will begin.
August 6, 2024

Due to rain today Dean’s will not be on site. Dean’s will complete the South Saddle Ridge Court crossing tomorrow (Wednesday) instead.

August 5, 2024

SOUTH SADDLE RIDGE COURT CROSSING TUESDAY AUGUST 6.

The force main pipe was previously directionally drilled under South Saddle Ridge Court at Saddle Ridge Drive. Due to space limitations, the directional drill is unable to install the pipe under the road at the desired grade and it must be dug up and regraded. Unfortunately, this disruption is unavoidable and is critical to proper operation of the force main in the future. Dean’s will dig this section of road up and lower the force main pipe to the proper grade on Tuesday (tomorrow). Dean’s will be maintaining traffic throughout the day with one passable lane around the work area, but residents can expect a few prolonged interruptions (15 minutes max) throughout the day.

If you are able, please avoid this intersection throughout the day on Tuesday. We appreciate your patience as this necessary work is completed.

August 2, 2024

This week Dean’s and De Witt completed:

  • Force main installation through the Saddle Ridge neighborhood. The majority of the construction work within the development is now complete. Dean’s will work on testing the new force main pipe and restoration of disturbed areas over the next few weeks.
  • Force main installation under US-131 between Edgerton and Elstner.
  • Installation of the 10-foot diameter wet well structure, meter chamber, and valve chamber at the lift station site.
  • Installation of some of the gravity sanitary sewer that will eventually connect the existing Saddle Ridge wastewater collection system to the new lift station wet well.

Next week Dean’s and De Witt plan to:

  • Complete force main installation along Edgerton.
  • Complete force main installation at the lift station site.
  • Begin construction of the gravity sanitary sewer and force main discharge manhole near 10 Mile Road and Wolven Avenue.
  • Begin horizontal directional drill work along Wolven Avenue, starting at 10 Mile Road and working north.
  • Begin restoration work within the Saddle Ridge neighborhood.
July 26, 2024

Progress Report:

This week Dean’s and De Witt have made good progress installing the force main in the Saddle Ridge development. Dean’s brought in a second crew to install the force main from the cul-de-sac on North Saddle Ridge Court down to the lift station site. Dean’s other crew has installed most of the force main along Saddle Ridge Drive. De Witt has installed all of the force main along North Saddle Ridge Court and is working on the section between Saddle Ridge Court and the roundabout. Dewatering was set up at the lift station site and the 10 foot diameter wet well structure was delivered.

Upcoming Work:

Next week De Witt will complete the force main installation along Saddle Ridge Drive, under the roundabout. De Witt plans to start working on the US-131 crossing end of next week. Dean’s crew will complete the force main installation along Saddle Ridge Drive and will start installing the force main along Edgerton Avenue. Dean’s second crew will complete the force main construction down to the lift station site and begin excavating to set the 10 foot diameter wet well structure over 20 feet deep behind the existing wastewater treatment plant.

Extra Notes:

If your driveway has not been marked for removal with pink paint it will not be removed.

Dean’s will have to open cut the South Saddle Ridge Court and Saddle Ridge Drive intersection to install the force main under the road at the proper grade. While this work is being completed, South Saddle Ridge Court will have very limited access during the day. Dean’s will coordinate with residents on South Saddle Ridge Court prior to this closure so residents can plan accordingly.
July 22, 2024

Progress Report:

Dean’s crew installed force main pipe along a portion of the entrance drive. Since this portion of the force main is at a flatter slope the pipe must be installed by open trench excavation. This work will continue next week and your continued patience is appreciated as Dean’s works to maintain traffic along the entrance road during construction.

De Witt’s crew has directionally drilled two sections of new force main pipe along North Saddle Ridge Court. Next week they will continue on the middle section. De Witt also spent portions of the week cleaning up the drilling mud. This is a bentonite slurry that is necessary to keep the bore path open underground and it is used as a lubricant for when the pipe is pulled into place. De Witt is always monitoring the drilling mud during construction and will continue to clean up areas as needed.

Upcoming Work:

Force main installation will continue within the Saddle Ridge development as discussed above. Dean’s dewatering subcontractor, Mersino, will be on site next week to install dewatering wells at the new lift station site, behind the existing treatment plant. The wet well (a large precast concrete structure that will collect all of the wastewater before it is pumped through the forcemain) will be delivered next week Tuesday. This may cause some traffic interruptions as the structure is 10-feet in diameter.
July 12, 2024

Progress Report:

This week Dean’s Excavating and De Witt Trenching have mobilized to the Saddle Ridge development. Force main pipe has been delivered and the crews have begun the process of fusing the HDPE pipe together. The first portion of the week was spent locating existing utilities that will be crossed with the horizontal directional drill along North Saddle Ridge Court. De Witt begin drilling their pilot hole for the first run along North Saddle Ridge Court on Thursday. Dean’s plans to have a crew on site Friday to begin open trench excavation along the entrance drive off of Edgerton.

Upcoming Work:

Next week Dean’s and De Witt will continue work within the Saddle Ridge development. Force main construction will continue along Saddle Ridge Drive and North Saddle Ridge Court. In the next two weeks, Dean’s will remove some of the fence around the existing wastewater treatment facility and some of the existing asphalt in the area where the new lift station will be built. Dewatering wells will then be installed so that the groundwater can be drawn down to construct the new lift station.

Extra Notes:

The force main alignment was moved from the east side of Edgerton to the west side of Edgerton. By doing so, it is anticipated that Edgerton Avenue will not have to be closed to thru traffic now to construct the force main crossing US-131, which overall will reduce the traffic impacts in this area.

July 2, 2024

Dean’s Excavating has revised their construction schedule to generally construct the force main from the north end to the south end. This was done in an effort to limit the impact to Rockford Public Schools by completing the work along Edgerton Avenue prior to the 2024/2025 school year starting.

Below is an UPDATED anticipated schedule for force main construction. The anticipated lift station construction schedule has not changed.

Force Main Construction:

  • Saddle Ridge (Edgerton to Lift Station) – 7/8 to 8/2
  • Edgerton Avenue & US-131 Crossing – 8/2 to 8/10
  • Elstner Avenue – 8/11 to 8/17
  • 11 Mile Road – 8/8 to 8/29
  • Wolven Avenue – 8/30 to 10/9

Lift Station Construction:

  • Set Wet Well & Install Gravity Sewer – 8/19 to 9/4
  • Install Pumps and Electrical Work – 9/30 to 11/1
  • Lift Station Start Up – 11/2 to 11/11
  • Lift Station Restoration & Generator Installation – May & June 2025
June 4, 2024

Plainfield Charter Township has awarded the construction contract to Dean’s Excavating of Sand Lake. Dean’s will be working with subcontractors to complete the force main installation and construct the new lift station. De Witt Trenching Contractors of Hudsonville will install most of the new force main pipe by horizontal directional drill (HDD), or a trenchless construction technique, for Dean’s. Where HDD installation is not feasible, Dean’s will install the force main by “open trench” construction and restore the area that was dug up. The force main will generally be constructed from the south to north. The lift station construction will take place in segments as equipment becomes available.

Below is a general schedule of construction. Please note that this schedule is subject to change based on weather and other factors that may impact construction.

Force Main Construction:

  • Wolven Avenue – 7/8 to 8/16
  • Elstner Avenue – 8/1 to 8/7
  • Edgerton Avenue & US-131 Crossing – 8/8 to 8/16
  • 11 Mile Road – 8/19 to 9/9
  • Saddle Ridge (Edgerton to Lift Station) – 9/10 to 10/4

Lift Station Construction:

  • Set Wet Well & Install Gravity Sewer – 8/19 to 9/4
  • Install Pumps and Electrical Work – 9/30 to 11/1
  • Lift Station Start Up – 11/2 to 11/11
  • Lift Station Restoration & Generator Installation – May & June 2025

The above roads will be “Closed to Thru Traffic” during active force main construction and will remain open to local traffic.

The entrance to Premier Park and the Meijer Sports Complex will be open throughout force main construction. There will be a time when the driveway to the West Michigan Archery Center must be closed to install the force main through it. However, this work will be completed on a day the Archery Center is closed.

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