By Steve Griffith, deputy project manager for HNTB
Roads don’t last forever. Mound Road has long outlived its original design. Our project team is working on the plan to transform approximately 9 miles of Mound Road from its current state into a long-lasting, innovative corridor that better serves the community, is easier to use, and safer for residents. We are also working closely with the traffic safety team to analyze traffic throughout the corridor in order to adjust crossovers, turning lanes, and passing lanes to improve the flow of traffic on Mound Road.
While the construction of Mound will take three years and includes 72 lane miles of pavement, the result will be a road that is built to last 30 years. Currently, the engineering team is working on a variety of studies and research to develop a plan for reconstructing the road. Some of these engineering efforts and goals include:
- Utility coordination – We are asking utility companies to relocate electrical and internet services ahead of construction to prevent any delays or cost overruns, making sure we are as efficient as we can be with the federal grant dollars.
- Keeping Mound Road open for business – We will maintain access to all businesses and residents on the corridor during construction. Our goal is to close two lanes and maintain two lanes the entire time. Mound Road will be open for business, encouraging people to continue to support the businesses on the corridor.
- Water and sewer upgrades – We’re working with the cities of Sterling Heights and Warren to conduct water main and sanitary sewer improvements during this project. This allows them to save costs on future water and sewer repairs and also prevents the need to open cut the road to repair those things after construction is complete. This will contribute to the longevity of the road.
- Water quality – We are working on ways to improve the quality of water as part of this project as well.
- Maintenance plan – Developed to support the road’s effective lifespan of 30 years.
At the public meeting we will hold this fall, we’ll present the plan to residents and businesses and ask for their feedback. Any feedback or information we get from the community is being taken into consideration and can enhance the building phase of the project.