Phase 1

Project Summary

Phase 1 of the sanitary sewer expansion will bring much needed infrastructure improvements to some of the Township's oldest neighborhoods. In addition to sanitary sewer, these projects will implement stormwater improvements where possible and also include fresh new roads through each neighborhood.

Just like our streets, this page is under construction! Check back for updates and additional resources throughout the project and feel free to contact Public Works with any questions!

Neighborhoods / Streets

The following streets are incorporated into Phase 1. Links to the construction plans are included for each street:

Sanitary Sewer Expansion Map(PDF, 961KB)

Construction Schedule

Construction began May 15th on Driftwood Ave. One street will be completed at a time before the following is started.

The current schedule for the Driftwood/Skyridge neighborhood is:

Driftwood Ave - approximately 20 days
Westview St - approximately 10 days
Skyridge Ave - approximately 15 days
Crimson Ln & Mandalay - approximately 15 days
Final paving is expected in August with lift station work taking place through the fall.

The Fairgrove neighborhood is currently planned to start in August with the following schedule:

Fairgrove St - approximately 20 days
Mansfield St - approximately 20 days
Wildemere St - approximately 10 days
Strathmore St - approximately 10 days

The above schedules are subject to change and will be updated throughout construction.

Connection Process

(PDF, 203KB)

There are two main steps each property owner must take to get connected to sanitary sewer once they have received the notice to connect.

Pay Public Connection Fee: The total fee is $7,500 per residential property and is due before your contractor begins the physical connection. This fee can be financed with the Township through an installment payment agreement. More information on this agreement can be found in the resources section.
Hire Contractor for Private Connection: Be sure top get multiple quotes as prices and methods may vary. The township recommends getting multiple quotes for your connection. A few common connection methods are directional boring, open trenching, and rerouting interior plumbing. Costs are typically between $5,000 and $7,000. Financial help is available through USDA programs offering grants and low-interest loans, as well as township hardship financing and deferment options. Additional information on these options can be found in the resources section.

Resources

Public Connection Fees can be financed through an installment payment agreement. There is a $500 down payment required and the remaining balance is financed over a 20- or 40-year term. For more information on installment payment agreements please contact Public Works or complete the form below to request an agreement for your property.

Installment Payment Agreement Request

For details and information on the assistance programs available for the Private Connection Fees please visit-

United States Department of Agriculture Home Improvement Programs

Once connected to sanitary sewer, the existing septic system will need to be properly abandoned.

(PDF, 385KB)

Contractor Information

Redline Excavating is a Michigan based contractor from Holland, MI.

The Consulting engineer is Fleis & Vandenbrink, an employee owned company.

List of contractors for the private connection.(PDF, 189KB)

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ will be updated throughout the project. If you have a question that is not listed below, please contact Public Works by phone at 269-216-5244 or email - publicworks@oshtemo.org

FAQ: WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL COSTS OF THIS PROJECT TO ME?

Answer: First it is important to understand the components of the connection costs.

Public Connection Fee: portion from sewer main in the road to the Right-of-Way/property line

Benefit Fee: $2,000.00 for single-family homes (1 benefit unit)

There would be more benefit units for commercial users.

Parcel Fee: Each parcel, regardless of size or use, pays the same $5,500.00 – this is equitable for larger parcels that may have smaller frontage, every parcel is the same fee.

Private Connection Fee: portion from Right-of-Way/property line to where sewer exits the home (and currently leads towards septic tank)

Recommend contacting local excavating contractors for quote. These costs typically range from $5,000-$7,000

Costs will verify depending on

The building's setback from the road.
Patios, decks, pools, fences, sheds to construct around
Tree removal, ask contractor if trees can be avoided
Location of the existing interior plumbing.

FAQ: What options do I have for paying my connection fees?

Answer: For the public portion of the connection fees, residents can enter into an installment payment agreement with the Township. This agreement allows the public connection fee to be financed over a 40-year period with yearly installments applied to the Winter tax bill. There is a $500 down payment required. The interest rate is 3.375% for the 40-year term and there is no penalty for early payoff.

FAQ: When do I have to connect?

Answer: You will have two years from the time the project is complete and you receive notice that the sewer is available. This project is expected to be completed in October 2025. If you receive your notice of sewer availability in November 2025, you will have until November 2027 before you must complete your connection to comply with Township Ordinances.

FAQ: Are mailboxes being relocated?

Answer: No, mailboxes are not being relocated. The contractor initially planned to setup a mailbox bank to avoid disruptions during construction. Due to resident feedback this plan has been cancelled. All mailboxes will remain undisturbed. If a mailbox needs to be relocated temporarily it will remain in front of your property. There may be a disruption to deliveries during construction.

FAQ: What is going to happen to my trash and recycling services?

Answer: You will continue to place your trash canister at the end of your driveway as normal. The contractor is going to collect trash during the project to eliminate any service disruption. Recycling will not be collected during this time and will need to be held until after the contractor has moved beyond your street.

News / Updates

9/19/2025	Progress Update Mainline sanitary sewer and lateral installs are complete on Mansfield St. Redline Excavating is working to restore the road as quickly as possible. Mansfield is expected to be partially re-opened by the end of the day today 9/19 and fully opened by Wednesday 9/24 at the latest. The next stage of work is going to begin on Wildemere St starting Monday 9/22. This notice(PDF, 334KB) will be delivered to residents directly the afternoon of 9/19 to prepare for work accordingly. Trash services are providing limited service. Redline will be completing pickups for any home not serviced as soon as possible.
9/12/2025	Progress Update Redline Excavating is on track to begin work through the Strathmore St and Mansfield St intersection on Monday, 9/15. Residents of Strathmore St and Mansfield St should plan to park at Betzler Funeral Home the evening of Sunday, 9/14 to ensure they are not blocked in during this work. The intersection of Strathmore St and Mansfield St is expected to be restored by end of day Monday, 9/15.
9/9/2025	Progress Update Redline Excavating is preparing to start mainline installation in Mansfield St. Please see the pre-start notice(PDF, 298KB) for additional information and directions.
9/2/2025	Trash Service Update Some trash hauling services have stopped pickups for Fairgrove/Wildemere/Strathmore/Mansfield. Redline is going to empty containers for those service providers ASAP. Please leave your container out until it is emptied. Recycling should continue to be picked up by normal providers as conditions allow.
9/2/2025	Schedule and Progress Update Redline is continuing sanitary sewer mainline on Fairgrove and is approximately 45% done. Milling of Mansfield to the East and up towards the cul-de-sac is planned for today, 9/2/2025. Redline now plans to install sanitary sewer in Mansfield after Fairgrove is complete, then move to Wildemere, with Strathmore now planned as the final street.
9/2/2025	Progress Update Final paving for Skyride/Driftwood/Westview/Crimson/Mandalay is planned for Wednesday 9/3 and Thursday 9/4, weather permitting.
8/27/2025	Progress Update Redline is continuing concrete work in the Skyridge/Driftwood/Crimson/Mandalay/Westview area this week. Final asphalt paving is targeted for the week of 9/2. Redline is also installing sanitary sewer main in Fairgrove St North of the Mansfield St intersection. This work will continue for approximately 2 more weeks. Redline will not be working Friday 8/29 prior to the holiday. Work will continue on 9/2.
8/19/2025	Progress Update Crimson Ln and Mandalay Dr paving is now scheduled for Thursday, 8/21 weather permitting.
8/14/2025	Progress Update Paving activities for Crimson Ln and Mandalay Dr are going to be moved to the week of 8/18. The contractor is working to rebuild the road base and replace curb and gutter sections through the remainder of this week. Restoration on Skyridge Ave, Driftwood Ave, and Westview St is in progress. The contractor is placing top soil and will be hydroseeding after paving activities are complete. Residents will need to continue to water the restored areas after hydroseeding takes place to ensure growth occurs. Please note that private utilities have also been working in the area and their restoration activities may occur at different stages than the contractor's work. Please reach out to Public Works about any restoration issues or concerns. Fairgrove St sanitary sewer installation is currently underway and is expected to take at least 18 working days to complete.
8/8/2025	Progress Update Mainline sanitary sewer in Mandalay Dr is now complete. The contractor is working to install laterals and restore the road base in preparation for paving, which is anticipated for the end of the week of 8/11. The contractor will be mobilizing to the Fairgrove area starting the week of 8/11. A brief traffic shift on Stadium Dr will occur and is expected to begin on 8/13. Fairgrove will be inaccessible from Stadium Dr through the week of 8/18.
7/31/2025	Progress Update Paving of Skyridge Ave has been delayed due to the recent heavy rain. Paving activities are now scheduled for Tuesday August 5th.
7/29/2025	Progress Update Redline is currently planning to pave the base course of asphalt on Skyridge Ave on August 1st. This activity is weather dependent.
7/22/2025	Progress Update Sanitary sewer mainline installation is complete along Skyridge Ave. The crews are working to install laterals and restore Skyridge Ave to a driveable surface. Pavement removal on Crimson Ln and Mandalay Dr has begun and will be completed this week with sanitary sewer main expected to start next week.
7/14/2025	Progress Update Paving activities for Driftwood Ave have been delayed until Tuesday, 7/15. Redline is working on restoring Skyridge Ave West of the Westview St intersection and will now begin pipe installation on the East portion of Skyridge Ave Wednesday/Thursday.
7/10/2025	Progress Update Redline has completed sanitary sewer installation in Skyridge Ave to the West of the Westview St intersection. They have begun moving to the East towards Drake Rd intersection. Paving activities are planned for Driftwood Ave and Westview St, weather permitting, Friday July 11th and Saturday July 12th. Please note that you should not drive on the pavement until after the roller has gone past and the asphalt has cooled. It will be very hot, so be cautious with pets and children walking near or on the new pavement.
7/3/2025	Progress Update Sanitary sewer installation is complete along Westview St. The contractor is completing grading work on Driftwood Ave and Westview St to restore access for the Holiday weekend. Skyridge Ave pavement has been removed from Westview St to the West near the entrance for Redstone Farms. Residents can continue to use Skyridge Ave as normal until Monday 7/7/25 when sanitary sewer installation begins. The resident project representative will be onsite to provide direction for access as construction progresses on Skyridge Ave.
6/30/2025	Progress Update Sanitary sewer installation is nearly complete along Westview St. The Contractor is moving to Skyridge Ave for sanitary sewer installation the week of July 7th. They will be proceeding from Westview towards the Redstone Farms entrance first and then will proceed from Westview towards Drake Rd immediately following. Concrete curb and gutter will begin on Driftwood Ave and then base asphalt paving will follow shortly after. The curb sections will take 2-3 days of curing before they can have regular vehicle traffic. The asphalt will be driveable the same day it is completed.
6/20/25	Progress Update Sanitary sewer installation is complete on Driftwood Ave. Installation of concrete curb and gutter and base paving is being delayed so that neighborhood traffic calming measures can be implemented with this project. Sanitary sewer installation on Westview St is planned to begin Monday June 23rd and last 10 working days.
6/13/25	Progress Update Sanitary sewer installation is approximately 70% complete on Driftwood Ave! Base paving of Driftwood is tentatively scheduled for the week of 6/16/25. The contractor will proceed with asphalt removals on Westview towards the end of the week of 6/16/25 and sanitary sewer installation will follow.
6/5/2024	Resident Update USPS has advised that mail delivery will be disrupted as construction moves in front of properties. Deliveries will be held at the 9th St hub until the carrier has safe, direct access again. Residents are also able to request that mail be delivered to the Westwood post office for pickup.
6/4/2025	Progress Update Construction is progressing along Driftwood Ave towards the Westview St intersection. Sanitary sewer installation is at approximately 40% completion.
5/15/2025	Construction Started Construction began on Driftwood Ave. The contractor plans to move through the neighborhood and complete final paving in August. See the construction schedule tab above for additional details.
4/22/2025	Contract Awarded At the April 22, 2025 Township Board meeting the construction contract for Phase 1 was conditionally awarded to Redline Excavating. The Township is scheduled to close on the USDA bonds on May 13, 2025 and additional updates will be provided.