Street Department

Functions
 
The Street Department is responsible for seven functions:

1. Complete Streets Infrastructure Maintenance

The Street Department is responsible for maintaining the public streets of the City — other than US Route 12 (Buffalo Street), which is the responsibility of the Michigan Department of Transportation.  Maintenance of streets includes snow removal, cleaning, patching, signing, and marking, in addition to preservation, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation.  Streets can include transportation via motor vehicles, mass transit, bicycles and other wheeled equipment, as well as for pedestrians.
 

2. Stormwater Management System

The City's stormwater management system includes buried drainage pipes, open ditches, natural ravines, rain gardens, oil separators, and more.  Proper stormwater management prevents flooding and keeps the water that flows into Lake Michigan as clean as possible.

3. Sanitary Sewer Collection System

Sanitary sewers are used to collect wastewater from toilets, sinks, indoor showers, clothes washers, dishwashers, and garbage disposals.  Wastewater should be plumbed into the sanitary sewer collection system, not storm drains.  In the City, the sanitary sewer collection system is maintained by the Street Department, with assistance from the Galien River Sanitary District (GRSD) Sewer Authority (who is responsible for forcemains and wastewater treatment.)

4. Urban Forestry Program

The City has authority over the planting, trimming, and removing of trees and shrubs in City rights-of-way.  Please contact the Street Department to report trees in a City right-of-way which are diseased, dead, or a threat to public safety.  As part of the Urban Forestry Program the Street Department maintains a Leaf and Brush Removal Service for City lots.

 
5. Decorative Street Lighting Program

The decorative street lights along North Whittaker Street from Oselka Drive (including the new train station) to Water Street, and the lights along North Thompson Street from Merchant Street to Mechanic Street, are the responsibility of the City.  Please contact the Street Department to report that any of these lights are out.  All other street lights in the City are the responsibility of the electric utility company.

6. Vehicle Fleet and Equipment Maintenance

The Street Department is responsible for the maintenance of vehicles and equipment from all City departments (e.g., police cars, fire trucks, lawnmowers, snow plows, and more.)

7. Street Department Facilities Maintenance

Street Department facilities include the City Maintenance Garage, stockyard, and the salt storage building, all of which are located at 204 E. Jefferson St.

 
More Information

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these topics, please contact Street Superintendent John Sayne between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM Eastern Time at 269-469-2781 and he will be glad to assist you.  You can also see the Street Administrator and Other Services pages for more information.