City Engineer

The City Engineer is responsible for the handling, planning, oversight, and reporting on all city-led engineering projects including:

• Handling water, sewer, and roadway related constructions permits in the public right-of-way.
• Planning, prioritizing and seeking funding sources for future infrastructure projects.
• Oversight of Engineering Consulting Services.
• Construction Progress Meetings and Site Inspections of ongoing construction projects.
• Responding to Citizen Concerns including Periodic Updates on Construction Progress.
• Administration of the City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits.
• Archives infrastructure project record drawings.
• Plan review and approval of infrastructure-related elements of new developments.

City Engineer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Assistant City Engineer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Address: 700 Broad Street
Phone: (269) 983-5541
Fax: (269) 985-0346

CSO Program

To view the Public Notice, please click on it.

Hydrant Flushing Program

Please click this link to see information on the hydrant flushing program.  

Dunham Lift Station Replacement Project

Phase two of the Dunham Lift Station Replacement Project is scheduled to commence the week of July 22nd. The first activity is expected to be two bore & Jack underground utility crossings across Lakeshore Drive just south of the CSX Railroad Bridge. This will involve a single lane closure although two-way traffic should be maintained at all times. Additional information regarding the project can be found here.  

Kingsley, Morton, Orchard and Langley Projects

In 2020, the City plans to reconstruct Kingsley Avenue from Niles Avenue to Morton Avenue, Morton Avenue from Kingsley Avenue to Orchard Avenue and Orchard Avenue from Morton Avenue to Langley Avenue.  Reconstruction of Langley Avenue is  scheduled to start in 2021 and encompasses Langley Avenue from Pearl Street to Napier Avenue. 

In early November 2018, the City held an Open House to gather public input on several concepts for the upcoming reconstruction projects. The concept plans remained available for viewing and public input until early August.  All of the concept plans included non-motorized facilities in order to comply with the City’s Master Plan and the Complete Streets Policy Adopted by the Twin Cities Transportation Study (TwinCATs).  Space within the public right-of-way is limited, so the addition of non-motorized facility generally results a reduction or loss of on-street parking.  Extensive tree removals will also be required for this project for multiple reasons including tree size (too big for the available space), age and conflicts with sewer and water services.  The tree removals will be completed in advance of the construction in order to comply with environmental regulations. 

At the regularly scheduled City Commission Meeting on August 12th, the City Commission approved the non-motorized concept based upon the public input and the recommendation of City staff and Abonmarche.  In the case of Kingsley, Morton and Orchard, the plans include angled on-street parking and some parallel parking.  The Langley concept approved provided no on-street parking but will be modified to add a few parallel spaces as strategic locations for the purpose of deliveries, lawn services and the like.  Links to the letter sent to the project area prior to the meeting, a copy of the power point discussed during the meeting, and the approved concepts follow.

Please feel free to contact City Engineer Tim Zebell (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telephone: 269-983-5541) if you have questions or concerns related to the projects.

August 12 Meeting Notice to Project area
August 12 Power Point
Open House Kingsley Concept 3
Open House Morton Concept 3
Open House Orchard Concept 1
Open House Langley Concept 1

Preventive Maintenance Program

The 2018 Pavement Maintenance Project, that continued into 2019, is now complete. Approximately 7.4 miles of City Streets were treated with a penetrating fog seal as part of this project.

American Pavements Inc. has informed the City that they intend to start the Cape Seal Project sometime between July 15^th and July 29^th.   A cape seal is a two-step process consisting of a chip seal followed by micro-surfacing over the chip seal, one to four days after the chip seal is placed. Streets designated for treatment include Lakeview Avenue from Winchester Avenue to Wallace Avenue and Old Lakeshore Road from Lakeshore Drive to Sunnybank Road. This is a new process for the City and loose stone will be generated during the period that the chip seal is left uncovered. However, Cape Seal treatments extend pavement life similar to a mill and resurface project at about half the cost, and we hope to be able to add this treatment to our pavement maintenance tool box. 

Click this link http://americanpavementsinc.homestead.com/mystreet.html to see the current schedule and FAQs on the American Pavements, Inc. website.

Sidewalk & Spot Concrete Replacement Program

The 2018 Sidewalk & Spot Concrete Replacement Project is now complete. Those property owners that have not received invoices for their portion of the work, will see them in the near future. Inspections for the 2020 Project have started, this next program will focus on sidewalks in quadrant 3 of the City, which is west of Niles Avenue and Main Street and south of Central and Sutherland Avenues.

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On August 1, 2018, the City received and opened one bid for the 2018 Sidewalk & Spot Concrete Replacement Project.  This was the third time that the City advertised and bid the project, the first two times we did not receive any bids because Contractors are very busy this year.  The prices are higher than in year's past as outlined in the Power Point Presentation that can be found at this link.  The City Commission awarded the project to Northern Construction Services Corporation at the regularly scheduled meeting on August 13, 2018.

Work on the project could start as early as September 20, 2018.  In order to make the project more attractive to bidders, the City lengthened the allowable construction window.  Fall construction may occur between August 20, 2018 and October 26, 2018 and spring construction between March19, 2019 and June 28, 2019. 

Lead Water Service Information

Please follow this link for more details. Lead Service Replacement Program

SAW Grant

Asset Management Plan

• 1st Infrastructure Open House - "How Your Infrastructure Works" 4/22/2017  Power Point Presentation link   
• 2nd Infrastructure Open House - " Managing Your Infrastructure" 5/24/2017  Power Point Presentation link   
• 3rd Infrastructure Open House - "Funding Your Infrastructure" 8/22/2017  Power Point Presentation link   
• SAW Grant & Asset Management 8/22/2017 Meeting Handout

Public Meeting Maps

• St. Joseph Recent Projects Meeting No1.
• Lift Station Condition Public Information Meeting No1.
• Lift Station Service Areas.
• PASER Rating Map Public Information Meeting No1.
• Sanitary Consequence of Failure Public Information Meeting No1.
• Sanitary Manhole Condition.
• Sanitary Televised Status.
• Sewer Sanitary Criticality Map.
• Sewer Sanitary Year Installed Map.
• Sewer Storm Criticality Map.
• Sewer Storm Year Installed Map.
• SS Condition Public Information Meeting No1.
• ST Condition Public Information Meeting No1.
• Water Criticality Map.
• Water Main Breaks.
• Water Year Installed Public Information Meeting No1.

A Permit is required for work within the Right-of-Way.

The Right-of-Way typically includes the street, tree lawn and sidewalk area in front of your property. Please refer to the Right-of-Way Permit application - at the link that follows - for additional details on the requirements.

 Right-of-Way Application (PDF)(revised 1-23-2018)

Please submit applications and supporting materials to Alex Austin at the contact information noted above. 

City of St. Joseph and Southwest Regional Sanitary Sewer and Water Authority Standard Specifications and Details for new water main construction

• 2013_01_31WSJOB_StandardDetails-to_MDEQ
• 2013_01_31_StandardSpecs-to_MDEQ

Water Main Permits

• Standard  Procedures for the Approval of Water Main Construction
• Appendix A - Contacts
• Application for Water Main Plan Review Escrow Account
• Right of Entry for Utility Construction and Maintenance
• Water Main - Plan Review Checklist
• Water Mian - Place in Service Request
• Water Main - Constrution Checklist
• Water Quality Complaint Form
• Water Main - Acceptace Review Checklist
• Bacteriological Testing Form