Sterling Heights City Council moves forward with two road projects

STERLING HEIGHTS — The Sterling Heights City Council is moving forward with two road projects planned for this summer.

At its June 17 meeting, officials voted to proceed with the resurfacing of 17 Mile Road and Dobry Drive.

The council approved a contract between the city and the Michigan Department of Transportation to resurface 17 Mile between Mound Road and Van Dyke Avenue. The contract will allow the city to split the cost of the project with MDOT.

The project includes replacing deteriorated curbing, concrete base repairs and milling and a new asphalt resurfacing. It will also include coating the barrier wall, replacing the railing and installing three landscaped islands.

The city will pay $498,039 of the total estimated cost of the project, which is $2,582,840, of which $2,084,801 is federally funded. However, the city is also expected to pay for any engineering contingencies, such as design engineering, inspection, contract administration or material testing, which is expected to be an additional $413,254, bringing the city’s total cost to $911,293.

The funding for the project has been budgeted in the 2025-2026 major road funds, according to the resolution.

City Engineer Brent Bashaw said the project is expected to begin in July and be completed by the end of October. During reconstruction, he said two-way traffic will be maintained through the work zone, with one lane being open in each direction. He also said construction on 18 Mile Road is expected to be complete by then, helping to alleviate traffic concerns.

“It is anticipated that the 18 Mile Road bridge project between Mound Road and Van Dyke Avenue will be complete, and that stretch of roadway will be open to thru traffic prior to the start of the 17 Mile Road project,” he said.

The City Council also voted to award a bid to resurface Dobry Drive between Ryan Road and M-59, near the AMC 30 theater.

The agenda statement lists Dobry Drive as “largely a two-lane roadway that is rated in poor condition.”

“The road surface provides motorists with a very bumpy ride due to the asphalt cap failing after 14 years of heavy use,” it states.

Through the project, the existing concrete and asphalt surface will be removed, and new base materials will be added and topped with a new asphalt surface.

Bashaw said construction will take place on Dobry Drive from Ryan Road to approximately a half mile to the east. He also added that it’s not a widening project, so the pavement footprint will remain the same.

An invitation to bid on the project was prepared, which returned six qualifying bids, according to the agenda. The bid was awarded to Pontiac-based Asphalt Specialists, LLC, in an amount of $818,126.61, which will be paid for by the city’s 2025-2026 major roads fund.

Bashaw advised that Dobry Drive will only be open to eastbound traffic during construction.

The Dobry Drive project is expected to begin in July and be completed by Labor Day.

 

Other business
Besides the three reconstruction projects, the City Council also voted to approve a purchase agreement between the city and DTE to install street lighting in the median along Metropolitan Parkway from Van Dyke Avenue to the eastern city limits at a cost of $334,357.