Jefferson Relief Sewer

The Jefferson Relief Sewer project will add a new 60‑inch relief sewer between Nine Mile Road and Rio Vista Road in St. Clair Shores to help improve flow through the SEMSD system. By pairing this new pipe with the existing Jefferson Interceptor, the project will remove a major hydraulic restriction that currently contributes to combined sewer overflows at the Martin Retention Treatment Basin. Construction presents unique challenges, including crossing 19 side streets, navigating lateral sanitary sewers, and tunneling through the busy Nautical Mile district. The project team also must carefully bore beneath the Stephens Relief Drain, where limited clearance requires precise planning and dewatering. To minimize community disruption, the design breaks the work into phased, straight tunneling segments instead of a full corridor shutdown. Additional upgrades to the Martin Regulator will further enhance system performance. Once complete, this project will reduce sewer overflow frequency, improve water quality in Lake St. Clair, and support a stronger, healthier environment for the surrounding community.