Reading council hears delay, remaining work on MELS street project

Engineers updating the Michigan/East/Lynn/Strong (MELS) street reconstruction told the Reading City Council that a subcontractor delay has shifted concrete work and complicated access for residents.

"They’re now saying simply that they will arrive the week of the 20th," Matt Taylor of MT Engineering reported, noting that Mead’s subcontractor, identified in the update as "Martin J," decommitted from an earlier concrete start date. Taylor said the change makes driveway-access planning difficult for impacted households.

Taylor told council members the project has reached substantial completion on several major items: removals, roadway grading, sand subbase and placement of aggregate base up to the bottom of curb grade. He said storm sewer, underdrains, water mains and water service leads have been completed, but concrete curb and gutter, concrete driveways, sidewalks, final grading and hot-mix asphalt paving remain.

Known punch-list items include adding a crosswalk and concrete steps at Strong and State streets, correcting drainage in the gutter pan at that intersection, installing "No Parking, Stopping, or Standing" signage along Strong Street, depressurizing and abandoning a pressurized 4-inch water main on the south end of East Street, and additional sidewalk work on Lincoln Street. Taylor said some of the extra sidewalk work may not be completed until Spring 2026.

The council did not take formal action on the update. Members and staff discussed sequencing and resident notifications; no new contract awards or change orders were recorded in the minutes.