Final Fort Wayne neighborhood pipe project begins
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Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry joined other city officials and residents Thursday to begin the final neighborhood portion of a nearly two decade-long effort to reduce the amount of combined sewage going into the city’s rivers and provide relief from flooding concerns.
Crews will work to connect the final, 48-inch sewer pipe to the Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Reduction Tunnel, or 3RPORT, deep rock tunnel.
The system is designed to collect and transport sewage from locations where Fort Wayne’s combined sewer system might overflow during wet weather to the city’s sewage treatment plant.
“The needed improvements that are being led by City Utilities demonstrate a strong commitment to meeting the needs of the community for today and for future generations,” Henry said in a news release. “I’m encouraged by the progress we’re making that will ultimately result in cleaner rivers, help us be better stewards of the environment, and enhance the quality of life for residents, neighborhoods, visitors and businesses.”
The neighborhood project will also include the installation of 1,700 feet of 60-inch stormwater pipe where none previously existed and a new permanent stormwater pump station that will automatically engage and send stormwater into the river when needed.
Construction on the tunnel system began in 2017, though the tunnel is only part of the city’s Long Term Control Plan, efforts for which date back to 2008. Crews hit the halfway point of the 3RPORT tunnel in 2020.
The city says, when complete, the amount of combined sewage overflows to the St. Marys and Maumee Rivers will be reduced from about 71 times in a typical year to just four.
City officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking event Thursday in the Woodhurst neighborhood, which has a history of flooding during major weather events. Deputy Director of Engineering Matthew Wirtz said residents will also see real benefits from the project.
“While our mission, as part of the mandated provisions, is to reduce combined sewer overflows just west of this intersection, we have enhanced it by including additional stormwater pipe, more inlets to collect more rainwater and a new pump station that will help keep neighborhood streets and properties from flooding during large rain events or river flood events,” Wirtz said.
To date, the city said investments of more than $500 million have been made to support upgrades in more than 200 neighborhoods.
The entire project is expected to be complete in early 2025.