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DPW proposes hydrant painting, hydrant-flow program, sign inventory and new combo truck in budget workshop
Summary
The Department of Public Works detailed a citywide plan to repaint and flow fire hydrants, inventory 10,000 street signs, pilot traffic-calming measures and acquire a combination truck to clean catch basins as part of the FY25–26 budget.
Public Works Director Mike Moore and Operations Manager Mike McManamey presented a series of maintenance and capital proposals to the Sterling Heights City Council designed to improve infrastructure reliability and neighborhood aesthetics.
Hydrant painting and flowing
Moore said the city’s goal is a four-year rotation for painting and a four- to five-year rotation for flowing fire hydrants. The plan calls for contractor painting and a hydrant-flowing program to test pressure, flush dead ends and improve overall water quality. “A fire hydrant flowing program has the following benefits: ensures water quality, improves water flow and pressure, identifies problems, enhances firefighting capability, and reduces frequency of complaints,” McManamey said.
City staff noted the hydrant work is digitized using CityWorks for inventory and maintenance scheduling and that the flow program could improve the water-supply portion of the community’s ISO (insurance) rating.
Traffic calming, sign inventory and street signs
Moore described the Office of Engineering’s traffic-calming study and DPW’s role in installing speed cushions and other measures. He said speed cushions have been installed on Fox Hill, Broome and Hillsdale and that the department will maintain an inventory of street signs. “With an estimated 10,000 street signs in our community, DPW will be requesting the assistance of a contractor to inventory all city street signs,” Moore said; the inventory would create a GIS layer and a condition assessment to support replacement and removal of obsolete signs.
Catch-basin cleaning truck and drain cleanup
The department proposed a combination vacuum/jet truck to clean roughly 7,000 catch basins on a four-year rotation (about 1,800 per year) and estimated removing about 300 tons of debris annually. Moore said DPW will continue joint cleanup work with Macomb County Public Works; he highlighted a successful Gibson Drain clearance behind Delia Park.
Why it matters: Regular hydrant maintenance and catch-basin cleaning protect water quality and reduce local flooding. A sign inventory supports traffic safety and signals removal of unnecessary signs.
Council response and next steps
Council members supported the initiatives and asked about longevity of thermoplastic pavement markings used with speed cushions and how the hydrant-flow program will be resourced. Moore said painting will be contracted this cycle while the city evaluates whether the city workforce or contractors will carry the flow program going forward.
Ending
The proposals will be included in the FY25–26 budget for council consideration; several items (vactor truck, contractor inventories) will require capital funding or contract awards in the coming months.
