Projects

The infrastructure in Kentwood’s Meadowlane Drive neighborhood, a quiet residential loop off Kalamazoo Avenue, was showing its age. Many of the utilities dated back to the 1950s, and the storm sewer system to the west needed several critical repairs. Additionally, the sanitary sewer line was struggling to keep up with current flow demands, raising concerns about long-term capacity and reliability.

To modernize the neighborhood’s infrastructure, the City of Kentwood led a complete reconstruction of Meadowlane Drive. The project included new curb and gutter, sidewalks, and upgrades to the watermain, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer systems. One of the most significant challenges was replacing the sanitary sewer line, which was suspended where it crossed over the Paris Drain. Because a deeper alignment wasn’t feasible, the new sewer was suspended inside a steel casing above the drain, a creative solution that maintained flow while protecting the waterway. Close work with EGLE ensured the environmentally sensitive area was protected throughout and after construction.

As work began, crews discovered many homes had undocumented storm sewer laterals connecting to the existing system. Locating the existing storm sewer laterals required additional sewer inspection and significant coordination with residents and the contractor. The design was quickly modified to include new laterals for every property.

Despite these surprises, the project stayed on track and was completed while maintaining local traffic, which was difficult given there was only one road in and out of the project area. The neighborhood now enjoys updated and more resilient infrastructure, improved stormwater management, and a smoother roadway, leaving residents and the city with a safer, more reliable foundation for the future.

In the City of Greenville, a community of nearly 9,000 residents located northeast of Grand Rapids, a unique challenge arose to complete the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail—a 6-mile non-motorized path that connects the downtown area, six parks, and the high school, with a scenic 3-mile stretch along the Flat River. The missing piece of this trail loop was a safe and accessible way to cross M-57 on the east end of town.

Greenville identified a handicap-accessible tunnel as the ideal solution. Positioned under the busy intersection of M-57 and Maplewood Street, the tunnel would offer a safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists while maintaining the flow of traffic above.

The design featured pre-cast concrete tunnel sections complemented by natural stone finishes and cut-stone traffic barriers to keep pedestrians safe. Vertical retaining walls minimize the tunnel’s footprint, and the approach walls were adorned with hand-made tiles created by local artists, telling the story of the city’s history. The tunnel is well-lit for safety and equipped with electronic aluminum gates to close during the night, with panic buttons for any needed emergency access.

The construction was carefully staged in two sections to maintain traffic flow on M-57, and the design team re-routed several pipelines while adding a small detention pond to the drainage system. Today, the tunnel stands as both a functional piece of infrastructure and a stunning work of art, improving safety and providing an essential connection for the community.

“The tunnel is beautiful and very useful. M-57 is a very dangerous street to cross even at the light. Hats off to the city of Greenville and all the participants in creating such a beautiful place, highlighting our city with art. Great job on the tunnel by everyone!”- Norice Rasmussen, Resident (via The Daily News)

For residents of the Burger and Goodwood neighborhoods in Cascade Township, water contamination became a growing concern in 2019 when the area was designated an official Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) area of interest. Located between the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and the Thornapple River, the neighborhood’s unique geology and proximity to known PFAS sources led to the detection of elevated PFAS levels in over 40 residential wells, with more than 60 percent showing some level of contamination.

In response, the City of Grand Rapids, in partnership with Cascade Township, launched a multi-phase project to connect affected residents to a clean, safe municipal water source. Within a very tight timeline, the Township managed an extension of the Grand Rapids water system to over 240 homes in Phase I. The design included several miles of water main and two sensitive creek crossings, including one through a Thornapple River bayou. Innovations in the design process reduced the excavation required and minimized environmental disruption.

Throughout the project, public meetings and transparent communication helped keep residents informed and involved, building trust and cooperation with community action groups and local leadership.

Phase II, launched in 2024, extended municipal water service to an additional 250 homes near the contamination plume. This phase included over three miles of new water main infrastructure, bringing lasting relief to residents who had relied on potentially unsafe wells.

Thanks to strategic design, strong partnerships, and a community-first approach, the Burger and Goodwood neighborhoods now have access to reliable, PFAS-free drinking water today and into the future.

For the residents of Bronson, a small city with a rich history and many pre-1940 homes, aging infrastructure had become more than just a nuisance. Crumbling storm and sanitary sewer lines were causing sewage backups into homes and forcing road closures, particularly in the neighborhood south of US-12 on Ruggles and Compton Streets. Much of the city’s underground infrastructure was over six decades old, with some components, like the storm sewer system, exceeding 80 years.

In 2020, Bronson received a boost through Infrastructure & Resiliency funding from the MEDC CDBG program, securing $1.32 million toward an extensive infrastructure renewal project. The focus was on resolving drainage and reliability issues in a severely flat area where outdated clay pipes were cracked and frequently overwhelmed by storm events.

The improvements were extensive. Roadways were rebuilt at corrected elevations to improve drainage, and curbs were added to direct runoff effectively. Sidewalks were widened to five feet, and ADA ramps were upgraded at every intersection, making the neighborhood more walkable and inclusive. Beneath the surface, the original clay sanitary pipes were replaced with modern PVC, and the existing water main was upgraded to a more reliable, larger ductile iron pipe to support better water flow and fire protection. Compton received new storm infrastructure for the first time, and stormwater from Ruggles, Compton, and nearby Mowry Street was redirected to drain into US-12.

Residents of Bronson now benefit from safer streets, fewer backups, and a more resilient system that supports the city’s future.

The City of Wyoming operates the Donald K. Shine Water Treatment Plant in Holland, a vital facility providing water to over 235,000 residents across Ottawa and Kent Counties. Established in the 1960s with an initial capacity of 32 million gallons per day (mgd), the plant has grown to accommodate regional demands and in 2024 has a treatment capacity of 120 mgd and an average daily discharge of 40 mgd. The plant services a wide range of communities, including Zeeland, Park, Olive, Blendon, Holland, Georgetown, Jamestown, Gaines, and Byron Townships, as well as the cities of Wyoming, Hudsonville, Grandville, and parts of Kentwood. Water is conveyed through two large diameter transmission mains, with a third transmission main planned for the future.

In July 2020, amid peak water demand season, the facility faced a significant challenge when one of the two transmission mains failed near the plant, effectively removing half of the City’s transmission capacity. The failure required immediate emergency repair during which interconnections to adjacent water suppliers were utilized and a sprinkling ban was implemented to reduce water demand.

The emergency repair jumpstarted a subsequent project to replace and enhance the City’s existing yard piping to address underlying concerns identified while investigating potential causes for the pipe failure. The expedited yard piping project was initiated in the Fall of 2020 with a target completion date of Spring 2022.

To meet this accelerated schedule, Prein&Newhof partnered with international engineering firm, Black&Veatch, to provide the City of Wyoming a valuable engineering team with local expertise and responsiveness partnered with the knowledge and resources of a large firm.

The project included the installation of a new 54-inch steel pipe within the plant’s yard and the addition of six metal-seated AWWA ball valves—five 54-inch and one 42-inch. These valves were strategically placed to allow for the isolation of different segments of the transmission main, facilitating easier maintenance and repairs. Additionally, a section of the existing 54-inch transmission main on New Holland Street was replaced to ensure proper thrust restraint and to reinforce the system. Lastly, the yard piping project included a connection point for the third planned transmission main.

The Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (MCRCC), a vast 11,000-acre water treatment system, required an updated Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to meet federal compliance. This plan included revised maps identifying potential inundation areas for five dam break scenarios, helping authorities respond quickly to minimize damage and protect infrastructure and water resources. The maps detailed inundation boundaries, worst-case flood elevations, and flood arrival times.

To estimate the potential inundation areas, the project team employed the HEC-RAS 2-D model, simulating various dam failure scenarios. Using GIS data, they prepared detailed inundation maps that identified boundaries, worst-case flood elevations, and flood arrival times. The analysis focused on the largest inundation areas and the quickest flood arrival times across five different scenarios to ensure a thorough and effective emergency response plan.

Scenario 1: Most Probable Best-Case Scenario

The East Lagoon experiences a breach at the seepage point, while the West Lagoon remains isolated, with the failure occurring at the lagoon’s lowest depth.

Scenario 2: Most Probable Average-Case Scenario

The West Lagoon breaches at the seepage point, while the East Lagoon remains isolated, with the failure occurring at the lagoon’s average depth.

Scenario 3: Worst-Case Scenario – Terror Attack at Deepest Depth

In an act of terrorism, both lagoons are breached simultaneously—one at the corner of the West Lagoon near the cell phone tower, and the other at the corner of the East Lagoon by the center berm wall. This results in the destruction of the center berm/dike road. The scenario assumes the lagoons are at maximum depth during the breach.

Scenario 4: Most Probable Worst-Case Scenario

The lagoon breaches at the seepage point, while the West Lagoon remains isolated, with the failure occurring at the lagoon’s maximum depth.

Scenario 5: Breach on the North Side of the East Lagoon

The East Lagoon breaches near the South Irrigation Pump Station on the northeast side of the berm, while the West Lagoon remains isolated. The failure occurs with the lagoon at its maximum depth.

Scenarios 1-4 simulated breaches along the southern edge of the MCRCC lagoons, sending floodwaters toward Mona Lake via the Black Creek Drain. Scenario 5 modeled a breach near the East Lagoon, diverting some floodwaters to both the Muskegon River and Black Creek Drain.

Modeling produced comprehensive inundation maps, GIS data, videos, and a detailed summary report, all designed to strengthen the MCRCC’s EAP. These enhancements ensure better preparedness, regulatory compliance, and improved emergency response, while building public trust and maintaining operational continuity—ultimately protecting lives, property, and the environment.

The City of Kalamazoo has been working to identify and replace all lead or potential lead water service lines in its system. Over the past five years, it has replaced more than 3,800 lead services and identified approximately 1,343 more in the neighborhood south of Gull Road and east of the Kalamazoo River. In compliance with Michigan state requirements, the city implemented a program to replace all lead lines to ensure the health and safety of its residents.

Copper was selected as the replacement material for its sustainability, lifespan, and low environmental and health impacts. The project aimed to be completed in one construction season, with regular progress meetings ensuring timely execution. The city coordinated its road projects with Kalamazoo County Road Commission projects to minimize costs and inconvenience to residents.

In 2024, the City of Kalamazoo reached its halfway goal of 5,000 lead service replacements. The city has worked diligently to leverage funding from both State of Michigan and federal sources for the service replacements, which has significantly reduced the rate impacts of the replacement work. The city continues to proactively engage with residents and move forward with the end goal of removing all the lead from its system as quickly as possible.

Public communication has included printed materials being sent to residents, public meetings to facilitate dynamic discussions, and easily accessible web pages to make getting information more convenient for residents.

Pottawattomie Park, situated on Pottawattomie Bayou, is known for kayaking, swimming, fishing, and hiking. It was facing severe challenges from rapid shoreline erosion, flooding, and deteriorating infrastructure, including an aging dock and boardwalk. The shoreline’s erosion due to poor soil conditions, lack of vegetation, and groundwater seepage, threatening both its usability and environmental health.

To address these issues, Grand Haven Charter Township implemented natural shoreline techniques to prevent erosion, improve water access, and restore wetlands. The plan included restricting water access to certain areas, restoring shorelines with native plantings, and removing outdated boardwalks, docks, and sidewalks. New pathways were designed to support wetland growth, and native vegetation was added along 100 feet of shoreline.

The project stabilized the shoreline, enhanced the park experience, and created a more inviting environment with a universally accessible kayak launch and a defined sandy beach area. These improvements ensure the park remains a valuable community asset while preserving its natural beauty.

Grand Haven Charter Township faced the challenge of developing a new community park on nearly 70 acres of donated land, with a tight deadline to avoid losing the land. The project required meticulous planning, budgeting, and community engagement to bring the vision to life.

The successful passing of a recreational millage was driven by detailed cost estimates and renderings. The Township worked with the Northwest Ottawa Recreation Commission and local pickleball enthusiasts to determine the park’s needs, resulting in a design that includes soccer fields, baseball and softball fields, and pickleball courts.

Infrastructure was prioritized, with sanitary sewer and water mains installed before mass grading. The park includes amenities like elevated boardwalks, restrooms, parking, and shelters, and features the Jo-Jo Jogging Trail, which winds through 15 acres of wooded uplands.

The use of local subcontractors supported the community and ensured high-quality construction. A fund for ongoing maintenance, established by land donor Jim Schmidt, guarantees the park’s long-term sustainability. Schmidt Heritage Park now stands as a vibrant recreational hub, a testament to community collaboration and vision.