Livonia approves emergency I‑96 water main repair and extends contract to finish neighborhood mains

Livonia City Council on Aug. 11 approved emergency and contract-extension payments to complete two separate water‑main replacement efforts after leaks and planned state freeway work required urgent action. The council voted on consent to pay Dan's Excavating Inc. $182,130.73 for a full replacement of the water main beneath I‑96 and authorized an additional $11,000 to AAA Underground & Grading for restoration work at Laurel Manor. The council also approved a contract extension with Big Gary (Bidagary) Contracting for $568,900 to include Pickford and Clarita avenues in a 2024 Westfield Avenue/Harrison Road water main replacement project.

The I‑96 repair arose after crews could not locate the source of a leak under the freeway and later learned state highway plans would lower the freeway and install storm sewer that would intersect the existing main. "We had to do a complete redesign and replace the entire pipe from side to side," said Mister Lear of the engineering division, explaining the urgency and the decision to use Dan's Excavating while MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) had the freeway open. Lear told the council Dan's price for the accelerated schedule came in lower than other contractors who were already under contract and available.

The engineering division said Dan's Excavating completed the replacement for $182,130.73; AAA Underground and Grading, which was staged nearby, completed landscaping and right‑of‑way sprinkler repairs for about $11,000. The council approved those payments on consent.

Separately, the engineering division recommended extending the award to Bidagary Contracting to finish water‑main work on Pickford Avenue (Inkster Road to Deering) and an additional block of Clarita Avenue so the city could complete paving this year after utility work. "They agreed to hold their unit prices," Lear said. Using those unit prices, the extension amount totaled $568,900. Councilmember Morgan offered approval on consent.

Council members and staff emphasized the work was intended to prevent repeated breaks and to coordinate paving after the mains are replaced. The engineering division reported the I‑96 feed was a redundant south‑end feed that had been turned off for safety until repairs could be completed.

The council approved the emergency payment and the contract extension from budgeted funds; no roll‑call vote tally was recorded at the study session.

Funding and next steps: staff said these payments come from existing budgeted funds for water main replacements and related restoration. The engineering division will return project closeout documents as required.