HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 - Public Works Annual Report Filed in Clerk's Office
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Department of Public Works Bianca Tirado
City Clerk, South Bend, IN
2024 Annual Report& Accomplishments
PW Highlights:
• Rebuilding Our Streets (includes streetscape and special projects)
o Street Paving: 42.04 Ln Miles
o Street Maintenance (cracksealing and microsurfacing): 52.58 Ln Miles
• Curbs&Sidewalks (Council allocation and reimbursement program)
o Curbs replaced: 7,848 LF
o Sidewalks replaced: 13,627 LF
• Trash &Yard Waste
o Collected 65,751,760 lbs of trash.
o Collected 11,425,080 lbs of yard waste
• Potholes
o Patched 37,339 potholes
• Alleys
o 558 alleys graded
• Wastewater
o Zero NPDES permit violations
o Three LTCP projects in design or underway at the wastewater plant
o Treated a total of 10.94 billion gallons, averaging an average daily flow of 29.98
million gallons were day
• Water
o Total amount of water treated in 2024: 5.3 billion gallons
o Average Amount of Water Treated per Day in 2024: 14,549,760 gallons
o UAP credit given to qualifying customers: $737,762.75
Engineering
• 64 development projects reviewed/released.
• 70 engineering projects initiated.
• Implementation of Year 4 of the Street Improvement Plan
o 42.04 lane miles paved
o 52.58 lane miles maintained through crack seal and microsurfacing
• Continued cleanup at former Drewry's Brewery site, demolishing all remaining buildings.
• 167 properties received new curb and sidewalk through the Council Allocation Program
and 68 participants in the Curb and Sidewalk Reimbursement Program.
o Curbs replaced through Council Allocation & City Reimbursement Programs:
7,848 LF
o Sidewalks replaced through Council Allocation & City Reimbursement Programs:
13,627 LF
o Note: these numbers are representative of only the two programs above and do
not include other efforts like streetscape projects or Safe Routes to School
federal aid programs.
• Demolished 18 vacant and abandoned houses, the blighted former Fun FX building on
Sample Street and the former South Bend Medical Foundation in advance of new
development on the hospital campus.
• Replaced windows and installed new siding at the Miami Hills apartment complex.
• Assisted with the construction of four new affordable duplex units on the Near
Northwest Side.
• Completed construction of a new Fire Station #8 for the south side of town.
• Installed three new heavy duty gear washers at Fire Stations 2 and 6 as well as at the
Training Center, helping firefighters avoid harmful carcinogens.
• 112 solar lampposts were distributed to residents, up from 107 in 2023.
• Issued 1,170 right-of-way permits and 17 MS4 NPDES stormwater discharge permits
• Worked on the design of Phase III of the Coal Line Trail that will connect to the new MLK
Dream Center.
• Worked on design of an INDOT-funded Safe Routes to School project at Kennedy
Academy to improve pedestrian infrastructure.
• Completed construction on the new Link Trail from Notre Dame to downtown South
Bend.
• Completed construction on the Angela Boulevard Improvements Project to calm traffic
and improve pedestrian safety. The project included a new 10' multipurpose path on the
north side of Angela east of SR-933.
• Initiated survey for the Riverfront West Urban Neighborhood Development. Conceptual
plans for the public infrastructure will be completed in 2025. Design for the portion of
the public infrastructure supporting the JC Hart Development is anticipated to be
completed in Spring 2025, with construction expected to start Fall 2025.
• Awarded a contract for 12 new speed humps to be installed across the city in 2025.
• Continued building out a GIS map for tracking and prioritizing Traffic Calming and Traffic
Requests, including implementing a new semi-automated priority scoring method.
Utilizing this map will streamline the request, prioritization, and fulfilment process for
Traffic Calming.
• Initiated design on Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge to increase pedestrian infrastructure
and usage of bike path/trails.
• Published traffic calming request map on the traffic calming webpage for residents to
submit requests that will automatically be logged on the internal GIS map.
• Mapped and updated all other traffic requests (other than traffic calming) from 2019-
2024 on the existing traffic request GIS map.
• Construction of the City's first ever combined sewage storage facility. Through a
Guaranteed Savings Contract, the City is building a 3-million-gallon Equalization Basin
(sewage storage tank) and rehabilitating Final Clarifiers 1, 2, and 3 at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant.
• Commenced the planning and design for the City's first remote retention-treatment-
basin- a 4.7-million-gallon underground sewage storage and treatment facility.
• Developed standard operating procedures for the management of the Sanitary Sewer
Lateral Reimbursement Program and successfully assisted customers apply and receive
reimbursements for new sewer connections.
• Maintained full compliance with the Federal (EPA, DOJ) Consent Decree for combined
sewers.
• Completed systemwide overhaul and calibration of the City's Smart Sewer Network.
• Construction of the Larrison Road, State Road 2 and Smilax Sanitary Pump Stations
began in 2024 to support the Indiana Enterprise Center expansions to support the GM-
Samsung Battery Plant and Amazon Data Services developments. St. Joseph County is
financing the improvements that will be dedicated to the City of South Bend upon
commissioning.
• Awarded a construction contract to construct a new CNG Compressor at the
Wastewater Treatment Plant to support improved filling operations for the Solid Waste
Fleet.
• Awarded Contracts for the Fellows Booster Pump Station and Lead Service Line
Replacement projects with the assistance of an Indiana Finance Authority State
Revolving Fund Drinking Water loan. Construction activities began in Q4-2024.
• Constructed a new subdivision and utility extensions to support the new Youth Services
Bureau and South Bend Thrive developments at McKinley Avenue near Sorin Park.
• Constructed a new 20-inch water transmission main between Chippewa Avenue and
Ireland Road to support the South Well Field Water Treatment Plant and Distribution
System Improvements. The South Well Field WTP building improvements design
continues and is scheduled to bid in Q2-2025.
• A new River Crossing #4 east siphon pipe was constructed during an emergency repair.
Approximately 300 feet of 24-inch electro-fused HDPE DR-11 pipe was bored under the
St. Joseph River to replace the deteriorated east siphon pipe. The new combined sewer
carrier pipe transports combined sewage from the River Crossing#4 siphon structure at
Riverside Drive in Leeper Park to its receiving structure at Northshore Boulevard.
• Worked with the Legal Department to hold private utilities accountable for damages to
City-owned and operated facilities. As a result, the City negotiated settlements to
recover some of the costs incurred to repair damaged facilities.
• Assisted developers through pre-coordination meetings to review engineering standard
requirements and utility connection needs.
• Began the design of the Colfax Streetscape in coordination with the County with bridge
repairs. Construction is expected to take place late 2025 and 2026.
• Developed plans and specifications for the Mishawaka Streetscape project. Construction
is expected to occur spring to fall of 2025
• Gintz Dr, adjacent to Seitz Park, and the Stephenson Mills Parking Lot were re-designed
and replaced following extensive coordination with the adjacent property owners.
• The Century Center "Skyway/Art Museum" restrooms were renovated.
• Other numerous improvements and repairs at the Century Center including:
o CC Water Softener& Filtration System Replacements
o Upgrades and updates to HVAC systems
o Island Park Bridge Decking Replacement
o Plumbing upgrades and repairs
• Improvements were made at LaSalle Park to include new paths and a skating loop, new
outdoor restrooms, refinished basketball court, a new pavilion, new furnishings, a new
parking lot, and other improvements.
• The splash pads at Coquillard Park and Southeast Park were fully replaced with upgraded
and expanded features.
• Started construction on the Raclin Murphy Encore Center, Phase 2 of the Morris 100
Project.
• Construction continued on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Center toward its
completion in spring of 2025.
• Linden St Streetscape from College to Birdsell was constructed in coordination with the
MLK Dream Center project. The project included street replacement, bump outs, on
street parking, decorative lighting, landscaping, raised pedestrian crossing and raised
intersections.
• Construction was started at Four Winds Field to add a second deck to the concourse and
greatly expand seating and services. Construction also started on the replacement of the
playground, splashpad, and relocated kids' area.
• Received full compliance status on IDEM's five-year permit audit of the MS4 program
• Created a monthly MS4 construction education series for local designers, engineers, and
contractors.
• Created the MS4 Tracking GIS map detailing high potential areas for illicit discharges.
• A total of 274 square yards of brick pavement were repaired.
• Received award notification of the National Park Service Outdoor Recreation Legacy
Partnership grant for a $7.5M matching grant($15M project total) for the Kennedy Park
Revitalization project
• Received award notification of the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology
grant for a $ 93,750 matching grant ($150,000 project total) for the Walker Field Shelter
House Roof Rehabilitation and Masonry Improvements.
• Awarded a sewer and manhole rehabilitation contract that will maintain 15,733 linear
feet of sewer conduit and 774 vertical feet of manhole structures
• Installed a temporary midblock crosswalk and asphalt art on West Washington St, serving
as a foundation for the West Washington Greenway project planned for 2025.
• Replaced 240 feet of guardrail and installed 180 feet of handrail
• Began the planning phase of the Market District project. This $3M planning project was
awarded a RAISE grant from the federal government. The aim of the project is to
reevaluate the highway ramp infrastructure of Eddy St by Lincolnway East to provide a
more urban connectivity increasing bike and pedestrian accommodations.
• Began design on the Potawatomi Park Improvements project, which includes demolition
of the pool house, street improvements on Wall St and Greenlawn Ave, and storm
infrastructure.
• Initiated Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract to provide energy saving improvements
and a 300 kW solar array at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Begun planning a Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract to provide a solar array at Olive
Water Treatment Plant.
• Begun planning a Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract to provide solar arrays and
operational upgrades at the SBFD Central Fire Station and MLK Dream Center.
• Initiated design for a subdivision at the old Drewry's Brewery location that would provide
over 100 new units of infill housing.
• Completed Safe Routes to School project at Our Lady of Hungary School, providing
accessible pedestrian infrastructure at 62 properties in the neighborhood.
• Completed design of Safe Route to School project at Muessel Primary School/Holy Cross
School to be bid in 2025 and completed in 2026.
• Updated the Right of Way and Alley vacation petition process to increase transparency
for residents.
• Completed Leeper Avenue (East Bank Trail) deck replacement
• Installed 100 Snow Route signs throughout the city
• Regraded alley off of Jefferson between Franklin PI and S Williams St to improve
drainage issues for adjacent properties
• Extended the life of roads by microsurfacing Scenic Drive, Mayfair Place and Edison
Avenue between Western Avenue and Sample Street.
• Began demo and remodel on the new City Hall, which should be move-in ready August
2025.
• Installed new watermain and water service lines for 83 residents on Gladstone Avenue.
Crews are replacing lead service lines. Additional installations of new water main and
water service lines are expected in 2025 for over 300 properties on Indiana Avenue,
Randolph Street, and Dayton Street.
• Stormwater improvements along with separation was completed in the Bercliff Estates
subdivision.
• Stormwater improvements were completed at the Johson and Fellows intersection.
• Stormwater improvements are under design for Garland Circle and Harrow Drive, and
preliminary studies are in progress for separation in the Lathrop to Bergan area west of
Portage Ave.
• Asset Management Plans were drafted for Water and Wastewater Utilities.
• Design was started for the Edison Water Treatment Plant improvements as an effort to
increase the reliability of this plant to prepare for other improvements within water
facilities.
• Facility improvements and site restoration were completed on the Northwest Elevated
Tank.
• The North Water Treatment Plant's Improvement project was completed, and the plant
was brought back online with new media in all six vessels along with raw and finish water
head replacements.
• As a result of an emergency repair, the Edison Lift Station has electrical updates, pump
refurbishment, wet well cleaning, discharge head cleaning, and upstream pipe
replacements.
Solid Waste
• Picked up 65,751,760 lbs of trash in 2024.
• Picked up 11,425,080 lbs of yard waste in 2024.
• Fulfilled 13,942 requests from customers for extra pickup for trash and yard waste.
Streets & Sewers
• Paved 23.19 lane miles of streets with internal crews.
• Continued the crack seal program as a preventative measure to help extend the life of a
street. In 2024, 69.39 lane miles were crack sealed.
• Street sweepers made it around the city twice with downtown being swept more than six
times.
• T&L completed over 589 service requests from 311.
• Responded to 692 sewer backup calls, only 8 were caused by city issues.
• Curb and Sidewalk internal crews completed 4,616 linear ft of curb and 3,807 linear ft of
sidewalk
• Made it through the City collecting 42,438 cubic yards of leaves and completed leaf
pickup on time.
• Replaced and maintained 965 street signs.
• Patched 37,339 potholes.
• Graded 558 alleys.
• Completed sidewalk grinding on 135 properties
Wastewater Utility
• Zero NPDES permit violations in 2024.
• In 2023, the South Bend Wastewater Treatment Plant treated a total of 10.94 billion
gallons, which converts to an average daily flow of 29.98 million gallons per day.
• The Lift Station crew performed daily/weekly/monthly rounds that include Wet Well
Vactoring with the assistance of the CSO crew. Checked each of the 48 stations for
mechanical operations, exercised valves, checked operation of floats and transducers,
verified that alarms come through to the SCADA system. And logged info into the CMMS
program.
• Industrial pre-treatment performed fifty-nine (59) industrial wastewater monitoring
events at permitted industrial facilities.
o Pre-treatment also inspected 20 industrial facilities in 2024 and made several site
visits with area companies to discuss compliance plans, questions about pre-
treatment and permit requirements.
o Twenty-five (25) violations were addressed with fifteen (15) Letters of Violation,
thirteen (13) Informal Actions, and ten (10) Administrative fines totaling $32,820.
• Three projects related to the CSO Long Term Control Plan were in different phases of
design, construction and completion:
o Secondary& Disinfection Improvements
o Final Clarifiers 1, 2 and 3 rehabilitation
o Equalization Basin
Water Utility
• Key Water Stats:
o Total amount of water treated in 2024: 5.3 billion gallons
o Average Amount of Water Treated per Day in 2024: 14,549,760 Gallons
o The Water billing office sent out monthly utility bills for the following customers
in 2024:
■ 36,819 active refuse accounts.
■ 42,413 active sewer accounts.
■ 42,430 active water accounts.
o $737,762.75 was given by the Utility as assistance on the sewer bill as a credit to
low-income customers enrolled in the Utility Assistance Program.
o Performed 2,997 backflow tests; an additional 1,300 backflow tests performed by
contractors.
o All public water fire hydrants were inspected in 2024
o 194 insured service line repairs done by Water staff
■ Service Link calls/ Work Orders - 19,210
■ Meter Services after hour calls - 756
• Water submitted Lead Service Line Inventory to IDEM and continued to update/improve
the data through potholing and regular maintenance and repairs
• Water was in 100% in compliance with 4,133 sample results reported to IDEM.
• 1560 Total coliform samples collected with a positive sample rate of 0.32%.
• Successfully submitted all required forms for the 3M/Dupont PFAS class action lawsuit.
• Completed PFAS Minimization study to identify technology needed to meet future
requirements.
• Performed 2,997 backflow tests; an additional 1,300 backflow tests performed by
contractors.
• All public fire hydrants were inspected.
• 551 service line repairs completed by City crews or contractors
• Responded to 756 after hours calls in Meter Services.
• Completed 19,210 service line work orders
• Water Customer Service and Billing completed the reorganization into the Water Billing
& Collections office in collaboration with l&T 311 office. The Water staff developed
training materials and completed training sessions with 311 staff.
o 311 staff started handling Move-in and Move-out work orders,Turn On work
orders after Shut Off for Nonpayment, Installment Plans, Extensions, and Cash
Handling at the beginning of 2024. The Water Billing and Collections staff
assisted the 311 team with additional training and guidance through 2024.
o The Water Billing and Collections team began a comprehensive account audit of
all existing and new accounts.