What was supposed to be a routine infrastructure upgrade on Griggs Street in Detroit’s Barton-McFarland neighborhood turned into a traffic nightmare this week, as a reopened trench blocked driveways and left residents inching over sidewalks just to get their cars out.
Neighbors say crews working on a city water project left a muddy mess and laid down narrow metal plates over the trench, with some residents reporting vehicles slipping off when the plates were first put in. The uproar from the block was loud enough that city officials stepped in and hit pause to rethink how the job is being handled.
Project WS-725: What It Covers
The dig on Griggs is part of Project WS-725, a Detroit Water and Sewerage Department initiative to replace and rehab aging water mains and full lead service lines in several areas, including Midtown, the Medical Center, the Cultural Center and Barton-McFarland. According to Detroit Water and Sewerage Department documents, the contract calls for about 31,000 linear feet of water main work and an estimated 366 lead service line replacements, at a price tag in the $16.7 million range.
The paperwork frames WS-725 as part of a larger, citywide effort to swap out old mains and remove lead service lines in the name of reliability and public health.
City Apologizes, Orders Revised Plan
After residents complained about blocked driveways and sketchy access, Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Deputy Director Sam Smalley offered an apology and acknowledged the rollout missed the mark.
“The plan was not fully baked as it relates to this project,” Smalley said, adding that he has instructed engineers and the contractor to draw up options to present today, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Smalley said crews had originally been scheduled to begin restoring asphalt and concrete today. That timeline is now on hold while the city demands a revised plan that prioritizes reduced disruption, including keeping driveway access open wherever possible and addressing security and lighting at the work site.
Neighbors Describe Unsafe Access
For people living on the block, the problem was not theoretical. It was the daily drive.
“I had to go down the sidewalk to go to the end of the street, Kramer, to get out,” resident Oria McLain Jr. told ClickOnDetroit, describing days of slogging through mud and navigating over thin metal plates that he said were first installed the wrong way and too narrow for comfort.
After neighbors spoke up, crews came back to install barriers, caution tape and wider plates. Still, residents say they want stronger guarantees that their driveways, access and property will be protected as the work continues.
Where This Fits In The Bigger Picture
The trench troubles on Griggs are unfolding as Detroit pushes ahead with a citywide campaign to remove lead service lines, a program officials say is accelerating with help from state and federal funding. In 2024, a plan to accelerate lead-line removals laid out a goal of thousands of replacements each year backed by new money, a pace that demands tight coordination with neighborhoods to avoid exactly the kind of access problems Barton-McFarland is now seeing.
Neighbors say they are not opposed to the work; they want the pipes replaced, but in a way that does not trap cars, chew up driveways or create unsafe conditions. With restoration efforts paused until a new plan lands on the table, residents are watching closely to see whether the next round of fixes will be more than just cosmetic.
