Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Lapeer to pursue Genesee Street bridge, major wastewater upgrades in 26–27 CIP
Loading...
Summary
City staff outlined a first‑year CIP of just over $10 million that prioritizes major streets (about $4M), a Genesee Street bridge replacement, water‑main work and multiple wastewater plant upgrades including pump replacements, lift‑station improvements and a potential UV/sand filter project estimated at $6.5M. Staff noted grant dependence and timing constraints for allocations.
City staff told commissioners the capital improvement program for fiscal 26–27 includes an emphasis on street infrastructure, water‑main replacement and wastewater‑plant upgrades.
The first year of the CIP was described as a little over $10 million, with roughly $4 million earmarked for major streets. The Genesee Street bridge replacement and Genesee Street reconstruction were identified as the largest near‑term projects; staff said they expect grants and bidding to be in motion by July–September and indicated an intent to sequence Genesee projects to limit road closures to one season when possible.
Wastewater supervisor Jason reviewed a series of plant upgrades: replacement of rotating Triton aerators, secondary‑effluent pump replacements, influent gate‑valve work, lift‑station pump replacements (noting severe debris at the prison lift station) and a cellular telemetry upgrade to reduce overtime responses caused by radio outages. Staff flagged a long‑lead, high‑cost UV/sand filter replacement listed at about $6.5 million in the CIP as a major long‑term cost driver. Jason also reported a recent bypass event triggered by heavy rain, wherein approximately 3,870,000 gallons of partially treated flow were bypassed during an extreme inflow event; staff noted the bypass was chlorinated prior to river discharge and that regulators had been contacted.
Water‑main priorities include engineering on Pine Street and replacement projects on Elm and Terrell streets; staff emphasized coordination between water main replacements and surface restoration so streets are not reconstructed twice. Staff and commissioners discussed a meter‑pit conversion for some mobile home parks that would move meters off individual homes onto a pit for the park; DPW explained the change would capture currently unmetered losses but could create billing responsibilities and lead to disputes with park owners. City attorney follow‑up was requested to review legal protections for residents.
Staff said some projects could be funded with grant matches and that the city may bond for larger items; commissioners asked for detailed estimates where only planning numbers were available. The CIP first‑year items are included in the proposed budget presented for review.
