All lanes of Southwest Avenue between McCausland and Bellevue Avenue will reopen Monday, February 22nd. Contractor crews with the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) have completed the separation of the existing combined sewer system under Southwest Avenue. The crews installed a series of sewer pipe ranging from 72-to-90 inches in diameter that will handle rainfall, while the existing line will continue to handle wastewater flow.
MSD crews had anticipated reopening the closed section of Southwest Avenue by last summer, but excessive rainfall in late June into July, along with hard rock, and unforeseen utility locations significantly delayed the progress of the project. MSD crews have worked non-stop for the past several months to complete this section of the project. MSD remains on schedule to have this project, which is a new series of sewer pipe ranging from 8-to-90 inches in diameter, complete by 2017
As the crews continue to install two separate sewer lines through the cities of Maplewood and Richmond Heights, lane restrictions and limited closures along Bellevue Avenue could occur.
This installation of a new, larger sewer line is part of MSD Project Clear and the ongoing effort to alleviate basement backups and sewer overflows into area waterways due to overcharged sewers.