2025 Botham Avenue Reconstruction Project

August 24, 2025 Project Update

At the progress meeting on August 22,2025, Hoffman Brothers, the Contractor, informed ROWE Professional Services Company and City staff that the water main connection on S. State Street and the jack and bore under Niles Avenue were successfully completed this week.  Sanitary sewer service replacement work will continue into the coming week.  Replacement of the water main is next up, and will likely begin after Labor Day.  Unlike the last two weekends, Hoffman Brothers does not anticipate working this coming Saturday or Labor Day, Monday.

The detour of northbound traffic, and southbound lane restrictions on Niles Avenue will likely need to remain in place until October.  The repair of a City sanitary sewer under Niles Avenue and the relocation of water main that is in a different location than City records had indicated are necessitating the detour/lane restrictions.  While these sorts of underground issues are not unusual during a reconstruction project, working within Niles Avenue which is a Michigan Department of Transportation Trunkline, complicates matters.  The signed detour route directs traffic to use Hilltop Road and Lakeshore Drive, however we have seen heavier traffic on local roads as motorist seek alternate routes. The Public Safety Department has increased patrols on the City streets experiencing higher traffic volumes and the project team will continue to work toward completing the construction in Niles Avenue as quickly and safely as possible.

We thank you for your patience and please feel free to contact Nate Whitting, ROWE Project Engineer [telephone: (616) 272-7125, email: nwhitting@rowepsc.com] or Assistant City Manager/City Engineer Tim Zebell [telephone: (269) 985-0339 email: tzebell@sjcity.com] with questions or concerns.