Council Moves on Miller Stormwater Project

A $300,000 stormwater improvements proposal for Miller Avenue – between Maple Road on the west and Newport Road on the east – was moved forward by the Ann Arbor city council at its Oct. 1, 2012 meeting. The stormwater improvements are part of a larger road reconstruction project, which will cost about $6.505 million.

The stormwater improvements will consist of  rain gardens and infiltration basins within the right-of-way. The pavement will not be porous, however, so it will be a traditional road surface.

The goal of the improvements is to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the stormwater pipes that flow directly to the Huron River. The idea is that if water is processed through rain gardens and infiltration basins, it will contain fewer contaminants that would otherwise be introduced directly into downstream creeks and the river. The city is subject to state-mandated total maximum daily load (TMDL) for total suspended solids, E. coli and phosphorus.

The council’s action was to approve the required petitioning of the Washtenaw County water resources commissioner’s office. The project is eligible for financing through the state’s revolving fund loan program at 2.5%. And the water resources commissioner will be assessing the city no more than $19,245 a year for the payments. It’s possible that up to 50% of the loan will be forgiven because it’s a “green” project.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link]