St. Joseph City Commissioners are seeking a $2 million grant to help complete a reconstruction project on Upton Drive from the St. Joseph River to Momany Drive. At a meeting this past week, City Engineer Tim Zebell told commissioners the city has previously made two attempts to secure grants for the work and failed, although a new opportunity has arisen from the federal Economic Development Administration. The project will involve more than rebuilding the road.
“We’re also going to replace the wastewater force main that goes from the Edgewater lift station and pumps underneath the St. Joe River to an interceptor that, of course, conveys that to the wastewater treatment plant,” Zebell said. “That’s a really critical piece of infrastructure. It’s near the end of its useful life.”
That equipment also carries all the wastewater from the city north of the river and from the Benton Harbor water plant. Zebell told us the total cost of the work will be about $6.8 million. Grants the city is seeking would cover $3.75 million and the city picking up the rest. He said he’s hopeful for the grant as the city can’t raise rates any further and resources are stretched thin as several infrastructure projects have taken place the last few years. If the city’s grant is approved, the work would start about this time next year and be finished in 2024.
