Two Wade Trim design projects were recognized for engineering excellence by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/Michigan) on March 7. Engineering Honorable Conceptor Awards were given to the Chapaton Retention Treatment Basin (RTB) Canal Rehabilitation for the Macomb County Public Works Office (MCPWO) and the US-24 Renewal and Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) project for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

In response to increasing wet weather, the MCPWO expanded the Chapaton RTB’s capacity to reduce treated combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges to Lake St. Clair as well as the risk of flooding. Located at the foot of 9 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores near homes and public recreational amenities, the Chapaton RTB protects water quality in Lake St. Clair. Wade Trim provided design and construction oversight for the facility’s canal rehabilitation to retain and send more flows to Detroit for full treatment, and improve the quality of treated discharges when they occur.

The Chapaton RTB’s 700-foot, open-water treatment canal was widened and deepened, and concrete and steel sheeting were installed to raise the canal above the 500-year flood elevation. Acting as a secondary settling basin, the canal features an innovative pneumatic weir gate system as the control structure that optimizes storage capacity and enables precise control of the water level and rate of discharge over top of the gates. Flooding risk for 9 Mile Road and residential areas is lower and aesthetics, public access, and recreational amenities were upgraded. The project is expected to reduce treated CSO discharges to the lake by 50% as well as sediment loading to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.

MDOT modernized 1.5 miles of US-24 from M-5 to north of M-102 at the Detroit-Southfield border and implemented the first DDI to connect two trunkline roads in the state. The US-24 corridor renewal enhanced safety and efficiency with the new DDI and roadway, pedestrian, and infrastructure improvements. Wade Trim provided design services to address operational and geometric deficiencies along the heavily traveled boulevard.

The DDI, the crown of the reconfiguration, was a perfect fit for the site’s tight right-of-way constraints and need to accommodate larger vehicles and slower speeds. Implementation of the DDI has significantly improved safety and efficiency by providing a consistent driving pattern for all entrance and exit ramps and eliminating left turn and merging conflicts. Injury related crashes during the DDI’s first year in operation have significantly decreased compared to averages from the previous 5 years.

MCPWO and Wade Trim representatives celebrated at the ACEC/Michigan Engineering and Surveying Excellence Awards Gala at The Fillmore Detroit. From left: Candice Miller (Macomb County Public Works Commissioner); John Arvai, PE (Wade Trim); Vincent Astorino (MCPWO); Brad Abar, PE (Wade Trim); and Steven Wagner, PE (MCPWO).

Wade Trim Team representatives for the MDOT project included Joe Sopoliga (Tetra Tech); Tom Wheeler, PE (Wade Trim); Jayson Nault, PE (Tetra Tech); Matt Stacey, PE (Wade Trim); Susan Melcher, PE (Hennessey); and Annette Stroman, PE (Hennessey).