Bacon Avenue to get road reconstruction in 2026

BERKLEY — A big road in Berkley is in line to get major improvements within the next couple of years.

At its Oct. 21 meeting, the City Council approved a proposal from Hubbell, Roth & Clark Inc. for engineering services for water main and road reconstruction on Bacon Avenue from 11 Mile Road to 12 Mile Road in the amount of $282,421.72.

According to city documents, the city took into account information from the Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, current water main size, water-main break history and the amount of known lead or “unknown presumed as lead” water services in determining which street it wanted to tackle.

The scope of the work includes the removal and replacement of existing pavement, curbs, driveway approaches and sidewalks, and replacement of the existing water main.

“Similar to other projects, it’s total road reconstruction,” Deputy City Manager of Public Services Shawn Young said. “Whole road’s going to be gone, water main to be replaced, new driveway approaches, new sidewalk, some minor stormwater improvements just in the depth of the curb and retained water … with restricted covers.”

Any right-of-way trees will be evaluated by Berkley’s arborist, and “trees with health concerns or conflicts with the proposed construction will be removed and replaced with new trees following construction,” city documents state.

“Improvements include new concrete curbs, aggregate base, (hot mix asphalt) pavement, storm drainage cover adjustments, concrete driveway approaches, concrete sidewalks, (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramp and new landscaping,” the documents state. “The existing water main will be abandoned in place and (a) new 8” water main will be installed along with new public water services and stop boxes. Existing water services and hydrants will be connected to the new 8” water main. Any private lead water service lines that are encountered will be replaced.”

Mayor Bridget Dean said Bacon Avenue is definitely in need of attention and repair.

“It’s a much-needed project and it will make for a much nicer, smoother street with the upgrades,” she said.

In addition to the road and water main construction, the project will include a new asphalt parking area in front of the Department of Public Works and the replacement of the on-street parking lot along the east side of Bacon Avenue, by Oxford Park, with a new asphalt parking area.

“To try and match that grade with the existing parking lot on the road, it’s just not going to work,” Young said of the Oxford lot.

Dean said the new lot will be a benefit to the residents and visitors to Berkley.

“When you think about all the upgrades to Oxford Park, this is yet another nice amenity,” she said. “Doing the street will give us that beautiful new parking area so that when people do come to use the park, it’ll be a more pleasant experience. … It’s one of our bigger projects, for sure. I like the fact that it’s not only comprehensive, but it also enhances the park area as well with that new parking area.”

It’s the belief of the city that project construction will commence in 2026.