Crews replacing aging water mains, upgrading infrastructure in Oak Park before winter

Residents in one Oak Park neighborhood are navigating construction, road disruptions and periodic water shut-offs as the city works to replace aging water mains.

The project is part of Oak Park's annual capital improvement plan and aims to reduce the risk of future water main breaks, especially during the winter months.

Oak Park City Manager Erik Tungate said the city is currently undertaking a $1.875 million water main replacement project and prioritizes neighborhoods based on infrastructure age and a history of water main failures.

"The two main factors are the number of water main breaks that we have. This particular area has had quite a few. And number two is just based on the age of the infrastructure," Tungate said.

Tungate said completing the work before colder temperatures arrive is critical in Michigan.

"Michigan's freeze-thaw cycle is just strenuous. I mean, it just tears it up, so it's very important to get it done before it freezes," he said.

For residents like Daphne Springer, who has lived in Oak Park for nearly 30 years, the construction has created some challenges. She said road restrictions, driveway access issues and periodic water shut-offs can be frustrating, but she believes the long-term benefits outweigh the temporary inconvenience.

"Yes. It gets to be annoying where, you know, we got dirt in front of the driveway, and, you know, trying to get in and out, one-way street, but, you know, when we go through all that, the end result is what we're looking at, and that's gonna be the positive thing, like you said, during the winter. We don't have water main breaks," Springer said.

The city says residents are notified ahead of planned water shut-offs and construction impacts. Officials expect the project to be completed by the end of October, before winter weather moves into the area.