Final phase of Saginaw St. restoration and infrastructure project to begin Monday

Saginaw St. will be closed between First and Kearsley Sts. in downtown Flint beginning Monday, March 11 as the final phase of the Saginaw St. brick restoration and infrastructure project gets underway. The project first broke ground in April 2023 and is expected to be completed by early August 2024.

Brick and pavement removal will begin March 11, and replacement of the approximately 100-year-old water main will begin towards the end of the week. Water main replacement is expected to take five to six weeks. The project also includes replacement of all water service lines connecting downtown businesses to the Saginaw St. water main.

Saginaw St. will be open for local traffic and deliveries between Second and First Sts. Northbound Saginaw St. traffic must turn at Second St. and southbound traffic must turn at Kearsley St.

First St. will be open for local traffic only between Harrison and Beach Sts., with full street closure after Brush and Buckham Alleys. Access to both alleys will remain open throughout construction.

Beginning in late March/early April and continuing through project completion in early August 2024, Saginaw St. will be closed from First St. to First Ave., and Kearsley St. will be closed to through-traffic at Saginaw St. Kearsley St. will be open for local traffic only between Harrison and Beach Sts, with full street closure after Brush and Buckham Alleys.

The Saginaw St. project is restoring Flint’s iconic main thoroughfare brick-by-brick and upgrading all underground utilities from Court St. to the Flint River. The work includes water main replacement, electrical upgrades, running conduits for lights and meters, as well as the replacement of two gas mains.

The project is also replacing 80-90% of the sidewalks along Saginaw St. as well as all tree grates. New brick-stamped concrete intersections will reduce wear and tear on the road, since vehicles push the bricks to the side when they turn at intersections. All-new ADA-compliant ramps and paved concrete street crossings are also making Saginaw St. more accessible.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is providing about $2.3 million in funding for the project, while the City of Flint’s Major Roads Fund is contributing $3.4 million. An additional $2.8 million from the federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN Act) is funding the replacement of the 12-inch water main under Saginaw St.