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.
Tim Zebell

City Engineer:
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 Alex Austin 2

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

 

Lead Service Replacement Program

Kingsley, Morton, Orchard and Langley Open House

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 tentatively scheduled to start in 2021 and encompasses Langley Avenue from Pearl Street to Napier Avenue.  If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend the open house on November 8, 2018, the City is requesting public input on concept plans through the end of November.  For those interested in viewing the concepts, they are available (click on the links below) or at the City Engineering Department located in City Hall.  All of concept plans include non-motorized facilities in order to comply with the City’s Master Plan as well as the Complete Streets Policy adopted by the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.

Space within the public right-of-way is limited, so the addition of non-motorized paths or bike lanes generally results in the reduction or loss of on-street parking.  Tree removals may also be required.  The non-motorized path on the recently completed Wallace Avenue Reconstruction Project provides a good example of one of the concepts the City is considering.

To view the drawings, please click on them.  The attendees at the November 8th open house were given green dots (stickers) and red dots.  Green dots were used to show that a person liked or preferred the plan, red dots to show the plan was not desired.  Impacts to parking, trees and other factors of each concept are listed in a box in the lower left corner of each plan.  If you would like to provide input, please 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).

Open House Kingsley Concept 1
Open House Kingsley Concept 2
Open House Kingsley Concept 3
Open House Morton Concept 1
Open House Morton Concept 2
Open House Orchard Concept 1
Open House Orchard Concept 2
Open House Langley Concept 1
Open House Langley Concept 2
Open House Langley Concept 3

2018 Preventive Maintenance Project

UPDATE – 9/11/2018
2018 Preventive Maintenance Project: Bituminous Seal
Due to weather delays and other scheduling constraints, the majority of the 2018 Preventive Maintenance
Project: Bituminous Seal will occur in the spring of 2019.
Gee Asphalt Systems, Inc. has informed the City the work this fall will likely be limited to Sunday,
September 16th, 2018. The roads to be treated will remain the same as the original work scheduled for
Sunday, this includes segments of Stadium Drive, South State Street, Kingsley Avenue, and Midway
Avenue (please see the attached map). Map
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Assistant City Engineer, Alex Austin (email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telephone: 269-983-5541) or 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 Assistant City Engineer Austin is not available.
Thank you again for your cooperation.

*********

The 2018 Pavement Preventive Maintenance Project is scheduled to start on September 13, 2018.  The project consists of applying a penetrating asphalt sealer to the better asphalt roads in the City.  The project will include local road closures for durations of 4 to 6 hours to allow for application of the sealer and curing time.  If your driveway is located on a street designated for treatment, park on a nearby street the night prior to the treatment.  Please park on a nearby street that is NOT being treated the same day as the street you access your driveway from (please see the map in the link that follows).  Overnight on-street parking restrictions will be waived during the project. Map and Full Public Notice

Please direct questions regarding the project to Assistant City Engineer Alex Austin.  If the Assistant City Engineer Austin please contact City Engineer Tim Zebell.

2018 Sidewalk & Spot Concrete Replacement Project

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. 

2018 Dunham Lift Station Replacement Project

Design of the Dunham Lift Station Replacement Project is currently underway. We anticipate scheduling another resident meeting in the future to provide an overview of the updated plans. A notice will be mailed to the residents and property owners in the project area when a meeting date is established.

SAW Grant

Asset Management Plan

Public Meeting Maps

 

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

Water Main Permits

St Joseph Downtown Vision

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