Construction debris and heavy equipment line Burr Oak Street in Albion on Sept. 23. After weeks of dry weather and dust, a much-needed rain left residents with a muddy drive home. Albion City Council approved $600,000 for the sewer and road replacement project at its Sept. 15 meeting.
By Maggie LaNoue
Less than two weeks after adopting a $70 million Capital Improvement Plan, the Albion City Council voted on Sept. 15, to actively fund several urgent infrastructure projects.
Council approved $600,000 for the replacement of the sanitary sewer system on Burr Oak Street and $500,000 for similar work on North Berrien Street. Both projects were highlighted in the capital plan approved Sept. 2. The work is needed because the sewer mains on these streets are cracked, leaking, and in danger of collapsing. In some areas, residents have already seen sinkholes develop.
The Burr Oak project is especially challenging, since parts of the main are nearly 18 feet deep and date back to 1929. Director of Public Services Jason Kern told council the replacement will include new residential hookups and storm drain work if needed once the pipes are exposed. Mead Brothers Excavating, already under contract for water main work on Burr Oak, will handle the sewer replacement.
On Berrien Street, Quality Excavating will continue with the sewer work after finishing the water main installation. City officials said keeping the same contractor for both phases avoids confusion over warranty coverage.
Council also approved Resolution 2025-08 to seek $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funds for infrastructure improvements on Bemer, Magnotta, and Dean streets. The city committed $309,000 in local matching funds for the application. That request fits within the capital plan’s emphasis on neighborhood improvements and positions Albion to leverage state and federal dollars for local priorities.
The capital plan outlines more than $70 million in projects over the next five years. Nearly $50 million is earmarked for water system improvements, including $18 million at the treatment plant and $24 million for system-wide upgrades. Public safety projects range from $10,000 for police body cameras to $1 million for a new fire engine. The City Hall rehabilitation project carries a budget of approximately $1.9 million, with $67,000 already covered from insurance and contracted for roof and window work.
The roof became a pressing need after the March 30 storm, when winds of up to 90 miles per hour were recorded in nearby Jackson. The storm swept across southern Michigan with the force of a tornado outbreak, downing trees and power lines in Albion and tearing at the roof of City Hall, which required temporary repairs.
Interim City Manager Doug Terry noted that construction costs have escalated dramatically since the pandemic, with residential work averaging $300 per square foot and institutional projects closer to $1,000.
The Capital Improvement Plan is updated annually, covering a rolling five-year period, allowing the council to look ahead at both long-term needs and immediate priorities. The Sept. 2 plan was more than 15 pages of projects folded into an 188-page agenda that also included the river restoration design. Terry explained that approving the plan each year is required to keep Albion’s Redevelopment Ready Community certification active with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which keeps the city eligible for competitive grants.
In addition to water, sewer, and roadwork, the plan outlines improvements across nearly every department. Parks projects, information technology upgrades, and more minor facility repairs are included alongside big-ticket items, such as a new fire engine. While many projects remain unfunded for now, the plan provides a framework that enables Albion to apply and qualify for funding opportunities when they arise, as the council has already approved the concept and basic cost estimates. As Terry described it, the document is “a wish list and a work plan at the same time.”
City officials emphasized that Albion is not relying solely on local dollars. The Capital Improvement Plan positions the city to compete for external funding sources, including USDA loans, state revolving funds, Community Development Block Grants, and MDOT partnerships. With the plan in place, Albion is certified as a Redevelopment Ready Community, making it eligible for a broader range of grants. Staff are actively seeking funding to repair roads that, in some cases, have sewer lines more than 100 years old and require rebuilding from the ground up.
