Project Startup
Construction work started on April 10 with pavement removal on Courtland Street and on Maple Street. The first two weeks of construction have been focused mainly on underground utility work in Courtland Street as described below:
- Courtland St. Watermain: Watermain installation on Courtland Street is complete. Watermain installation went fairly smoothly, with some minor adjustments where existing water mains were found to differ slightly from their expected locations. With installation now complete, the pipe has been successfully pressure tested to check for leaks, has also been chlorinated and flushed to remove potential contaminants, and is undergoing a standard bacteriological testing process before placing it into service.
- Courtland St. Sanitary Sewer: A little over half of the sanitary sewer main along Courtland Street has been installed. Installation of sanitary sewer laterals (the branches that connect each property to the main) is a separate process which has also begun.
- Gas Lines: Area residents may have seen fire trucks on site and smelled gas on two occasions already. Underground gas lines on Courtland Street have been a significant challenge with existing lines not matching available records. This has resulted in a gas line damage and gas leaks. Rockford Fire Department responded each time as a precautionary measure, but thankfully there was no ignition of the leaking gas. DTE Energy responded promptly to repair the leaks and has been actively working to investigate the situation in hope of avoiding future events. Sewer construction progress is temporary disrupted while the gas line investigation work continues.
Up Next
Watermain installation on Maple Street from Main Street to Monroe Street is planned for next week. Access will be limited in the immediate vicinity of the work, but the site should remain accessible by vehicle outside of working hours and overnight.
Installation of sanitary sewer main and laterals on Courtland Street will continue, pending results of ongoing gas line investigation work.
