NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Wayne County contractors are working to fix long-standing drainage problems on Fry Street in Northville Township, clearing overgrown vegetation and sediment from the Sly Drain to give excess water somewhere to go.
Residents on Fry Street say they have been dealing with ditches that won't drain for years, causing major headaches, and have been struggling to get a solution. Just days after residents raised their concerns, Wayne County's Division of Environmental Services had contractors on the ground.
Jennifer DePaulis, Environmental Services Manager for Wayne County, said the work is focused on clearing the drain so water can move through properly.
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"They're really meticulous about what they're doing, and we're hoping that once they get the sediment and the vegetation out of the drain, then our roads division can come through and clear the ditches along the street here and then there will be a place for that water to go through to the drain," DePaulis said.
Once the drain work is complete, the roads division will clear the roadside ditches and jet the culverts underneath driveways so water can reach the drain.
"The combination effort of both of those things should really make things better for the residents here on Fry Street," DePaulis said.
Resident Adam Harrison said he was relieved to see crews on site.
"I'm glad to see that there's people here," Harrison said.
DePaulis walked Harrison through the plan for the work ahead.
"I guess the best way to start is the creek and then go from there, see if in a couple weeks or so they can have this one straightened out," Harrison said.
When asked if he felt his voice was being heard, Harrison said, "I feel it's being heard."
Sandy Uroda, who has lived on Fry Street for more than 20 years, described the flooding she has experienced firsthand.
"When the rain comes down heavily in a short amount of time, the ditches fill up. We've had water halfway up our lawn to the house before," Uroda said.
Uroda said the work has been a long time coming.
"It's a long waiting relief I think. I think it's gonna be a great solution to the problem and I'm happy they're doing it," Uroda said.
The Fry Street project is part of Wayne County's broader $23 million stormwater management program, which includes ditch clean-outs, catch basin cleaning, and work on detention basins and pump stations across six focus areas. The county executive allocated the funding for ditching projects. DePaulis said crews have already cleaned approximately 15,000 catch basins.
"That's a huge positive effort and we think that a lot of people are going to see relief from that once that gets done," Depaulis said.
For the Fry Street project specifically, after a complaint was made to the drainage division, engineering inspections began last year, contractors were hired in March, and notices were sent to residents in April. The work is expected to finish within days.
Drain maintenance is largely complaint-driven. Residents with drainage issues can contact the drains office or the environmental services hotline. For roadside ditch problems, residents can call 1-888-ROAD-CREW.
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