Photo: Courtesy of MSPA

At the October 17, 2024, Downtown Development Authority (DDA) meeting, Chelsea City Manager Marty Colburn provided an update on the ongoing soil remediation efforts for the Main Street Park project. The project, led by the Main Street Park Alliance (MSPA), is addressing environmental concerns tied to the site’s brownfield status, with support from state funding.

Colburn noted that the first step of remediation has begun with environmental specialists on both sides of the project. Colburn explained that MSPA is working closely with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the state’s funding agency for brownfield redevelopment. He mentioned that they recently held a “reconstruction meeting out in the field with all the different parties.”

Colburn emphasized that the removal of contaminated soil is being conducted responsibly. “They’re required by law, and it is tracked,” he explained. The process involves third-party environmentalists ensuring that “dirty soils are taken to appropriate landfills and disposed of,” with the amount of soil removed being meticulously documented “down to the cubic yard.”

Coordination with the Chelsea School District has also been crucial in minimizing disruption during school hours. Colburn explained, “We limited the direction of where the trucks can ingress and egress during those time periods” to avoid conflicts with school buses.

As the project moves forward, some soil will remain in place through the winter. Colburn noted that “about three foot” of dirt will still be removed in the spring, but measures are being taken to prevent runoff issues during the colder months. “There’s a bit of an art to this, to make sure that it’s done properly,” he said.

The good news, according to Colburn, is that the project is progressing as planned. “The storm water component should be started to be worked on next week,” he confirmed.