The Drain Office's paving contractor complete top course paving on Northview Drive on Tuesday, October 31. Northview Drive has been reopened to traffic. On 11/1 and 11/2, the Drain Office’s contractor will install gravel shoulders and perform grass restoration work in the disturbed areas off Northview Drive.

According to the Drain Office, a split rail fence along the Walden Pond Co-op’s property line and the Northview Drive road right-of-way is planned to be installed sometime in the next several weeks. After the fence has been installed, all disturbed areas along Northview Drive will be restored.

Milling and paving of Northview Drive, between Grand River Avenue and Hillside Drive, is scheduled to begin on 10/23. Weather permitting, this work is expected to take 2-3 weeks to complete. All traffic is asked to avoid using Northview Drive during this time.

• The old asphalt will be milled and removed on 10/23, weather permitting.
• The first layer of asphalt is scheduled to be paved on 10/25, weather permitting.
• We will announce the second and final paving date once it has been scheduled.

UPDATE 10/11/23

Paving work along Northview Drive, between Grand River Ave and Hillside Dr, is scheduled to begin on 10/16/23. The work is anticipated to last 2-3 weeks, weather permitting. All traffic is kindly asked to avoid using Northview Drive during this time.

• During the week of 10/16, the road will remain open to local traffic.
• During the week of 10/23, the road will be completely closed to facilitate soil removal and stabilization. During this time, all traffic will need to enter Forest Hills Subdivision from Dobie Road to Forest Hills Drive. 

Please see the complete public notice via the following link:

2023-10-11 Daniels Construction Notice

UPDATE 9/20/23

Additional overseeding restoration for the ditches in the Forest Hills Subdivision, that were impacted by the Daniels Drain, occurred on 9/11 and 9/12. The contractor watered the restored areas on 9/13, 9/15, and 9/18.

The upcoming watering dates will be on 9/21, 9/23, 9/25, 9/27, and 9/29 with more dates to follow. If you are able to water the freshly overseeded areas, please do so as this will significantly help the grass establish. 

UPDATE 9/7/23

The Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office has issued a restoration notice to the Forest Hills neighborhood for planned work beginning on Monday, September 11. The work being done is to expedite grass growth in the ditches and rain lawns that were installed during the Daniels Drain Project. Restoration work is expected to last two days.

Read the full notice below:

Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office Restoration Notice

UPDATE 5/11/23

The Daniels Drain contractor will be onsite starting Thursday, May 11 to complete restoration touchups in the Forest Hills Neighborhood and to finish final items for the project. 

Please call Project Engineer Kyle Smith at 734.904.9356 if you have questions or concerns. 

UPDATE 11/8/22

• Top course (i.e. final) paving will take place on Wednesday, November 9. Roads that will receive top course paving include: Northview, Hillside, Marlborough, and Eastwood.
• Paving should be completed in one day unless the contractor runs into issues.

UPDATE 10/26/22

The Ingham County Drain Commissioner’s Office is attempting to get a schedule from their contractor for top course paving for the Forest Hills subdivision. The top course paving will only take one day to complete once it is scheduled.

Here is the anticipated schedule (weather permitting) as of October 25:

• Manhole adjustment corrections: 4 working days, 10/24 through 10/28 (work in progress)
• Asphalt patching around manholes: 1-2 working days, 10/29 through 11/1
• Final Top Course Paving: 1 working day, 11/2 through 11/4

 For additional information re: the Daniels Drain construction schedule, please contact:

• Paul Pratt, Deputy Drain Commissioner
  • PPratt@ingham.org

• Kyle Smith with GEI (The Drain Office’s Engineer for this project)
  • ksmith@geiconsultants.com

• Brian Cenci with GEI (The Drain Office’s Engineer for this project)
  • bcenci@geiconsultants.com

Update from the Township:

The Ingham County Drain Commissioner’s Office contacted the Township in late July and informed us that repaving of the northern 400 feet of Northview Drive was not included in the drain project. This 400’ section begins at the southern curb cut to the Ponds Cooperative and ends at Grand River Avenue.

The Township does not want to leave this 400’ section of asphalt in poor condition. We worked with the Drain Office and their contractor to get pricing in line with our road contracts and permitted them to mill and repave the north section of Northview Drive as part of the drain project, which will be funded by the Township’s local road millage.

Upon taking core samples, some soil work will be required before this section of Northview Drive can be milled and paved. Therefore, this portion of Northview Drive will be completed in the spring of 2023. Asphalt plants open around May 15, so the work should begin in mid-May to early June.

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 UPDATE 10/20/22

• Starting today (10/20) the Daniels Drain contractor will begin making final adjustments to the manholes in the middle of the roads in the Forest Hills subdivision. This work will include saw-cutting the surrounding asphalt, removing the concrete around the manholes, adjusting (raising) the manhole structure, and installing asphalt around the new manhole. The methods for the adjustment work may be loud at times. 

• Moreover, the operations may congest the roadways. Please be patient, drive slowly, and follow the direction of the onsite construction personnel. After the adjustment work is completed, the top course (final layer) of asphalt will be placed on Marlborough, Eastwood, and Hillside – the exact paving dates to follow. If you have any questions please feel free to contact GEI Project Engineer Kyle Smith at 734.904.9356.

UPDATE 8/15/22

Forest Hills Neighborhood base course paving was completed on August 12, 2022. The Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office expects the driveway approaches to be completed between Tuesday, August 16 - Thursday, August 18. 

The contractor will be raising manholes, adjusting castings and placing concrete driveways in preparation for the topcoat of asphalt to be paved. We are currently estimating the topcoat of asphalt to be paved in 2 - 3 weeks. 

UPDATE 8/4/22

Forest Hills neighborhood will have pavement restoration being performed the week of August 8 - 12. 

UPDATE 6/30/22

All work in the Cornell Woods has been completed. There are still some bare spots where grass has not grown in yet. The contractor has seeded these areas and grass is expected to fill in. *Please note - if your grass has not grown in by August please reach out to the Project Engineer, Kyle Smith at 734.904.9356.

Work around the Walden Pond is coming to an end. The maintenance pathway has been paved and final restoration efforts are underway. 

All storm sewer installation in the Forest Hills Neighborhood has been completed. The remainder of the work will go as follows:

• Forest Hills Ditching – Present through 7/13/2022
• Installation of Aggregate & Asphalt Base for Forest Hills Streets – 7/14/2022 through 8/4/2022
• Driveway restoration – 8/5/2022 through 8/10/2022
• Restore Lawns/Ditches – 8/11/2022 through 8/17/2022
• Pave Asphalt Top Course – 8/18/2022 through 8/24/2022
• Demobilize from Site – 8/22/2022 through 8/24/22

*The above schedule is subject to change

UPDATE 5/26/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4522 Eastwood Drive. During storm sewer installation access to these driveways will be obstructed.

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UPDATE 5/23/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4514 and 4519 Eastwood Drive. During storm sewer installation access to these driveways will be obstructed.

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UPDATE 5/20/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4518 and 4522 Eastwood Drive. During storm sewer installation access to these driveways will be obstructed.

UPDATE 5/19/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4526 and 4530 Eastwood Drive. During storm sewer installation access to driveways will be obstructed.

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UPDATE 4/27/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4547 Marlborough Rd and the Marlborough/Eastwood intersection. During storm sewer installation access to driveways will be obstructed.

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UPDATE 4/26/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4555 and 4558 Marlborough Rd. During storm sewer installation access to driveways will be obstructed.

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UPDATE 4/26/22:

Today the contractor will be working in front of 4575, 4572 and 4565 Marlborough Road. During storm sewer installation these driveways will be directly impacted and blocked.

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UPDATE 4/21/22: 

Today, the contractor is working in the intersection of Marlborough Rd and Hillside Dr. Driveway access for 4585 and 4597 Marlborough will be limited during the work. Both properties have been notified the past 48 hours.

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UPDATE 4/20/22:

Today we can expect the contractor to be working in the area shown in the image below. The only house with direct impact to their driveway is 4590 Marlborough Road. Once the storm sewer installation is past that house, the road will be rebuilt to grade so they can ingress/egress to the east. Let me know if you have any questions. I’m going to try and make a habit of doing this every morning, unless you think it is unnecessary.

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UPDATE 4/18/22:

• The contractor is replacing storm sewer on Hillside Drive working from the east to the west. It is expected that the contractor will reach the corner of Hillside and Marlborough by mid-week and continue onward south on Marlborough towards the end of the week.
• During the storm sewer construction in the Forest Hills neighborhood there will be truck traffic to supply sand to rebuild the road back to its existing grade.
• During construction there is an increased amount of traffic due to trucks and equipment that are being used to perform the work. Please have patience when traveling through or around the work zone. You may have to turn around and seek an alternate route through the neighborhood if storm sewer installation is occurring in that area of the road. All driveways will have access unless you have been specifically told otherwise.
• If you have not received your mail due to the construction, please contact Project Engineer Kyle Smith at 734.904.9356. The contractor is making an effort to make sure everyone gets their mail, however, sometimes the delivery carriers will not complete the delivery if they are inconvenienced.
• The Walden Pond has filled up and is now discharging through the outlet control structure as planned. Restoration of the remainder of the pond will commence once the weather allows.
• Sprinklers and greenbelt areas in the Cornell Woods Subdivision will be repaired and restored in the next few weeks once the temperature does not go below freezing overnight.

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UPDATE 3/23/22: 

• Northview Drive will be closed Wednesday, March 30 through Friday, April 1 due to construction on the Daniels Drain. 
  • Northview Drive Road Closure Advanced Warning - Ingham County Drain Commissioner's March 22, 2022
• Construction for the Daniels Drain project in the Forest Hills Subdivision will start Tuesday, March 29 and continue through the end of June.
  • Forest Hills Neighborhood Construction Notice - Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office - March 21, 2022

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UPDATE 3/11/22: 

• The sidewalk along Grand River Avenue between Northview and Paddock Drives has been closed, off and on since Fall of 2021. Currently this portion of sidewalk is closed and impassable due to the construction of the new Walden Pond outlet, there is an orange fence blocking passage where the work is taking place. There are currently sidewalk closure signs at the ADA ramps of Northview and Paddock Drive. The sidewalk is expected to be passable by March 16 and fully restored in April.  See specific area of closure (red) in image below.

• Construction of the Daniels Drain in the Forest Hills Subdivision is anticipated to begin March 29. Flyers will be posted online and on doors of properties that will be impacted prior to construction. If you should have any questions or would like to see how your property will be impacted, please reach out to the Project Engineer, Kyle Smith at 734.904.9356.

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UPDATE 2/21/22:

• Rough grading of the Walden Pond has ceased until spring. Once the snow melts and ground thaws, topsoil will be leveled and final grade will be set.

• A jack & bore is being performed the week of 2/21/22-2/25/22. A new storm sewer line will be tunneled under Grand River Avenue to replace the outlet for the Walden Pond. There will not be any disruption to traffic flow.

• Pumping of the Walden Pond continues to keep the water level at a controlled elevation while work surrounding the pond takes place.

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UPDATE 1/28/22: 

• Northview Drive has been re-opened to traffic. 

UPDATE 1/5/22:

• The excavation of the Walden Pond has been completed and efforts are now focused on restoration and the construction of sediment forebays.

• Starting Monday, January 10 Northview Drive will be closed between Hillside Drive and the South entrance to the Walden Pond COOP. The closure is needed to replace the existing storm sewer that runs under the road with a new box culvert that drains into the Walden Pond. The closure is anticipated to last for 2 weeks through January 21. During the closure access to Grand River Ave and Toms Grocery will be cut off from the South and access to the Forest Hills Subdivision will be cut off from the North. To enter the Forest Hills Subdivision, you must access off Dobie Rd to Forest Hills Drive.

• Road closure notifications have been placed in doorways of residents of the affected Forest Hills Subdivision.

Update 2/14/22:

Consumers Energy will begin gas work in conjunction with the Daniels Drain project. This includes gas main and service upgrades along Marlborough and Eastwood, which are being done in advance of the storm sewer construction this spring/summer.

There is a map and details below. The work is expected to take 3 to 4 weeks, weather permitting. 

For questions or concerns, please contact Adam Bertram from Consumers Energy at 517.374.2375.

The Daniels Drain is a Chapter 20 drain that is located on Grand River Avenue between Central Park Drive, Dobie Road and Cornell Road. The storm water system, including the detention pond, primarily serves all or some of the following neighborhoods: Chief Okemos, Navajo Ridge, Forest Hills, East and West Ponds, Cornell Woods North, Whispering Oaks and Cornell Woods.

In 2015, the Board of Directors of the Ponds Cooperative Homes, Inc. formally requested that Meridian Township submit a petition under Chapter 20 of the Michigan Drain Code of 1956 to make needed improvements to the drain and retention pond, improve overall water quality, and repair/replace broken pipes and appurtenances in the system. A presentation by the Ingham County Drain Commission (ICDC) that provided additional supporting justification material was also held on March 2, 2016. Following several meetings and associated public hearings, the petition was filed with the Ingham County Drain Commissioner in the spring of 2016 to proceed with design and engineering for improvements to the Daniels Drain.

The Ingham County Drain Commissioner developed the plans to implement the necessary improvements to the Daniels Drain and has started constructing the improvements. As a Chapter 20 Drain, it is maintained by the Ingham County Drain Commissioner, but is fully funded by direct assessments on three public entities including Meridian Township, the Ingham County Road Department (ICRD) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

Bids were opened and approved resulting in our share of the Daniels Drain improvement costs at $5,536,644 (81.44%). The remaining costs of the $6,695,183.84 project will be assessed to the ICRD and MDOT. The initial revenue for the project will be provided by a 20-year bond sold publicly by the ICDC.

The Township Board has indicated they will fund 50% of the Township's share of the Daniels Drain improvement cost of $5,536,644 from the Meridian Township General Fund, and the assessment of the remaining cost of ($2,768,322) will be apportioned to the special assessment district using the principles of "benefits derived", which will involve many factors including size of the parcel, land use type, amount of runoff, unique property characteristics, proximity to the retention pond, etc.

The Township Board held an informational meeting on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 6:00 pm at the Meridian Municipal Building to discuss the Daniels Drain project, with notices mailed to owners in the proposed assessment district. Review the presentation that the Ingham County Drain Commission Office and GEI Consultants gave at that informational public meeting.

Resolutions #1 was approved by the Township Board on September 21, 2021 to fund 50% of the Township's share of the Daniels Drain improvement cost from the Meridian Township general fund and ordered the Department of Public Works to use the plans developed by the Ingham County Drain Commission and prepare a special assessment district for the remaining cost.

Resolution #2 was approved by the Township Board on October 19, 2021, tentatively approving the establishment of a special assessment district for the purposes of paying the cost thereof, and to set the first public hearing for November 16, 2021 to hear any objections to the special assessment district or roll. After said public hearing, Township staff met with owners in regards to objections of the special assessment district.

Resolutions #3 and #4 were approved by the Township Board on March 15, 2022, which proposed an updated special assessment roll based on input from property owners in the Daniels Drain Public Improvement Special Assessment District No. 21 and set the second public hearing for the Township Board meeting on April 12, 2022. Notices were mailed to all property owners in the Daniels Drain Public Improvement Special Assessment District No. 21 on March 25, ahead of the 10-day statutory requirement.

To develop the assessment roll, the Township contracted with Spicer Group, Inc. based on their extensive experience developing similar assessments for storm water projects throughout the State of Michigan. On Tuesday night, members of the Spicer Group will attend to discuss the recommended special assessment roll and how it was prepared in collaboration with the Township Department of Public Works.

The Ingham County Drain Commission Office and their engineering firm for the Daniels Drain project, GEI Consultants, will also be in attendance to answer any questions you have Tuesday evening as it relates to all of the project elements outside of the assessment roll.