June 24, 2019 - Today, Mayor Tom Henry kicked off another neighborhood improvement project, this one serving more than 650 homes in 10 subdivisions that are part of six southeast neighborhoods. Joined by neighborhood residents, Sixth District City Councilman Glynn Hines, City Utilities and Public Works staff members and project construction crews, Mayor Henry led a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Hessen Cassel stormwater project to reduce flooding and standing water.
“We have made numerous infrastructure improvements throughout the community, including many neighborhoods in southeast Fort Wayne. This is a significant investment that will help many homes and has the added value of putting sidewalks where we’ve not had them before,” said Mayor Henry. “These improvements are essential to building stronger neighborhoods and improving the community as a whole.”
Indeed, significant investment is taking place in our neighborhoods. In 2019, City Utilities is investing more than $100 million in neighborhood water, sanitary, and stormwater infrastructure improvements.
This Hessen Cassel Phase l project, is a $1.8 million construction investment that will place 2,500 feet of storm pipe, 1.8 miles of roadside ditches and swales, walks on both sides of the road and an up-to-date traffic signal with pedestrian crosswalks at Tillman Road.
Phase l is on Hessen Cassel between Brentley Way, south of Tillman Road, and Stardale Drive, south of Paulding Road. This phase will serve the neighborhoods of Branning Hills Community Association, Casselwood, Terrace Civic Association, Eastland Gardens Community, Hickory Grove Neighborhood Association, and Trier Ridge Park Association.
Following the completion of Phase I, bids will be solicited for Phase II, which will take place between Stardale Drive and Oxford Street. Combined, the two phases of the Hessen Cassel Stormwater Project will protect 13 neighborhoods along the corridor.
“We are excited to move forward with this phase of the project and further work that will eventually help more than a dozen neighborhoods.Certainly, the residents along Hessen Cassel are very much aware of drainage issues in the neighborhood, and that’s the case with several neighborhoods across the community. We average more than 900 calls a year about stormwater issues,” said Anne Marie Smrchek, Engineering Manager for Sewer and Stormwater. “Our stormwater team is committed to protecting neighborhoods, improving stormwater drainage and safeguarding our rivers.”
Through 2022, more than 30 major drainage projects and hundreds of smaller projects will take place in neighborhoods around the City. The Hessen Cassel project part of this $40 million stormwater investment and is one of ten stormwater projects underway this year.
Other stormwater projects currently underway:
- Haffner Drive Storm Drainage Improvement - Phase 2
- Maplewood Park Storm Improvements
- Louisedale Drive Storm Drainage Improvements
- Lawrence Drain Storm Drainage Improvements
- St. Croix Drive Storm Drainage Improvements
- Karen Ave. & Kingsley Dr. Storm Drainage Improvements
- Brookside-Parkerdale Storm Drainage Improvements – under design
- Fairfield Ditch Bank Stabalization – under design
- Plymouth Road Storm Drainage Improvements – under design
- Schoppman Drain Improvements – under design