FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – MamaJo’s five-mile journey, new water mains and stormwater projects to protect neighborhoods topped the 2021 City Utilities’ improvements of $92 million.
The City released the following highlighting work done in 2021:
The year saw hundreds of projects of all sizes supporting and strengthening neighborhoods. Some of the largest projects included the nearly a mile and a half northwest water feeder pipe from Fernhill Avenue to Washington Center Road, supporting neighborhoods and businesses in the northwest part of the city. Additionally, the stormwater utility completed the second phase of the extensive stormwater and sidewalk project on Hessen Cassel Road to help 13 neighborhoods. And efforts to protect neighborhoods and our rivers with the Tunnel projects hit significant milestones in 2021.
In June, the tunnel boring machine, MamaJo, with a 16-foot diameter, completed her nearly 5-mile dig, more than 200-feet below the earth’s surface. Completing that portion of the sewer tunnel made way for crews to move forward with connecting pipes to seven drop shafts and consolidation sewers that will take flow to the tunnel. That work is underway.
2021 saw drop shaft construction along Waldron Circle, Brown Street, Camp Allen Drive, Thieme Drive, Guldlin Park, Headwaters Park West and East Central Park, and the consolidation sewer project under the St. Marys River. The Tunnel Works project is a multi-year project that will reduce combined sewage that flows into our rivers by about a billion gallons a year.
Other significant stormwater projects completed this year were in the neighborhoods of Brookside/Parkerdale, Hessen Cassel, Vesey, and along Ardmore and Mayfield Roads.
The water utility replaced eight miles of aging water mains in the neighborhoods of Hamilton, West Central, Southwood Park, Five Points, Fairfield, Fairmont, Oakdale, and Tamarack (Ph 1) and Mayfield Road.
2022 will see an investment of $110 million in system upgrades. Work will continue on the multi-year tunnel-related projects, with consolidation sewers, adit connections, and pump station work. Efforts to replace aging water mains will continue throughout the community in Centerhurst, Tamarack (Ph 2), Crestwood Colony (Ph 3), Oakhurst Park, Bullerman, Reed Road, Old Maysville Road, and Lake Avenue. In addition, stormwater and drainage improvements for 2022 include Blackhawk, Lincolndale, North Anthony, Vance Avenue, Hazelett Road, Barr Street, Hessen Cassel (Ph 3) and Pierson Drain.
