FRASER, Mich. – Drilling work on the shaft being created to repair the collapsed 15 Mile Road sewer interceptor has been completed on schedule, officials said. The last pier has been drilled and the work is wrapping up Friday.
The drilling work had been ongoing for 20-plus hours per day, seven days a week, for more than a month.
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Officials said all 260 of the necessary piers -- 70 feet deep, 3 feet wide -- are now in place. The piers, filled with cement and steel beams, will provide the walls to allow contractors to dig down the 60 feet necessary to replace the broken pipe, which is 11 feet in diameter.
More updates from officials about the work site:
- With the conclusion of the drilling work, there will be several days of transition time to remove the drilling equipment and then begin the excavation of the 300 feet by 28 feet shaft down 60 feet. That excavation will take about a month and is scheduled to begin in the coming week.
- The first of the new pipe segments are to start arriving on site about July 1. The pipe, manufactured in Texas, is made of a fiberglass polymer and is expected to have a usable lifespan of up to 200 years.
- Inspection work has begun on the total pipe system in the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District. This work has begun primarily inside the Lakeshore Interceptor, which runs roughly between Gratiot Avenue and Interstate 94, from 15 Mile Road north to 21 Mile Road. So far, about 20 percent of the MIDD’s pipes have been reviewed, with no major problem areas identified.
- Work is underway to clean the 3,700 feet of the pipe immediately east of the break, which is between Utica and Hayes roads, underneath 15 Mile Road. As the pipe is being cleaned, a second crew is following behind, adding grout to cracks in the pipe. This pipe will be lined with the polymer replacement pipe this summer as part of the repair process. As part of the repair of the sinkhole, it was discovered that this 3,700 feet stretch of pipe is also in imminent danger of collapse. Supports have been added to this section of pipe as the underground work has begun.
- Bonds to finance $70 million of the work are expected to be sold by late June. Another $5 million worth of work is being funded by funds allocated by the State of Michigan.
- The target for completion of all repair work is Sept. 30. The target for the re-construction of 15 Mile Road and other restoration work is Thanksgiving of this year.
"I cannot say enough about our construction crews, our engineers -- everyone who has worked on this project," said Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller. "They have been out there at all hours, in all weather, keeping this project moving forward. The completion of this shaft drilling is a major milestone. For those residents who live in that area, the businesses operating there. Your positive attitude and your understanding during this challenging time has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you for your support during this challenging time."