The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) have started the second phase of significant infrastructure improvements in the area of the Avon Road corridor between Dequindre Road and 23 Mile Road on the Rochester Hills and Shelby Township border.
To accommodate phase two of the improvements, East Avon Road will be closed to through traffic between the Avon and Dequindre Road roundabout to just west of the intersection of 23 Mile and Dequindre from Dec. 5, through approximately mid-August 2023. Starting in early April 2023, the intersection of 23 Mile and Dequindre will also be closed to through traffic.
During the East Avon Road closure, the detour route for through traffic will be Dequindre Road to Hamlin Road, east to Ryan Road, north to 23 Mile Road and west back to Dequindre Road, and vice versa.
The infrastructure improvements will increase the reliability of GLWA’s 96-inch water main, which serves multiple communities and more than 1 million residents.
In addition, the project will improve access for operations and maintenance, relocate the water main outside of businesses and backyards, and improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety at critical intersections. GLWA will continue to provide drinking water to its member partner communities throughout construction.
“Collaborations like the one between GLWA and the Road Commission are critical to ensuring we continue to provide water of unquestionable quality to our member partners,” says Cheryl Porter, COO of water and field services at GLWA. “By coordinating these large infrastructure projects, we reduce the impact of construction on local communities. We look forward to continuing into phase two of this particular project, which will improve operations and maintenance of a very large water main that supplies water to three southeast Michigan counties.”
Phase two of the Avon Road infrastructure improvements also includes:
- Installation of 2,200 linear feet of 96-inch diameter welded steel pipe, starting on Dequindre Road south of the Clinton River, crossing the Clinton River into Yates Cider Mill property, and traversing along East Avon Road to 23 Mile Road, terminating at Dequindre Road approximately 300 feet north of 23 Mile Road;
- Reconstruction and widening of East Avon Road;
- Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Dequindre and 23 Mile Road;
- The replacement of the 61-inch-high by 84-inch-wide corrugated metal pipe (structural plate arch) culvert at the Yates mill race.
The roadway and drinking water infrastructure improvements are coordinated to avoid disrupting new road pavement, as part of GLWA’s commitment to leveraging project resources and to lessen temporary traffic impacts. Additionally, the project will implement permanent roadway and pedestrian enhancements to the areas within the communities that are affected by construction.
“This project is a great example of public agencies working together to provide the best long-term outcome for our mutual customers while also reducing the short-term impact during construction,” says Andrea LaLonde, chair of the RCOC. “The Dequindre/23 Mile roundabout will enhance traffic and pedestrian safety at the intersection and traffic flow along the corridor.”
The project on East Avon Road, which began in November 2021, is expected to be completed by mid-August 2023.
The cities of Rochester and Rochester Hills, Shelby Township, and the Macomb County Department of Roads are also partners in the multi-phase project.
Further details of the GLWA and RCOC projects can be found online.
The Great Lakes Water Authority provides drinking water services to nearly 40 percent, and wastewater services to nearly 30 percent, of Michigan’s population. With the Great Lakes as source water, GLWA has the capacity to extend its service beyond its 88 member partner communities.
The RCOC maintains the largest county road system in the state, with more than 2,700 miles of roads. For more information about RCOC, visit www.rcocweb.org.
