Traverse City sewer project to run through Hull Park and Hannah Avenue

Traverse City moved ahead with a new 16-inch force main sewer line that will run from the wastewater treatment plant through Hull Park, then along Hannah Avenue to Barlow Street and Garfield, while Hull Park itself stays open to the public.

The work turns a routine utility upgrade into a visible disruption on one of the city’s busiest recreation corridors. Hull Park sits on the north end of Boardman Lake, where the TART Trail cuts through the park and connects to the Boardman Lake Loop, a trail system used by walkers and cyclists. The park’s boat launch is also a draw for small boats, kayaks and sailboats, which makes any construction near the water and access gate especially noticeable.

City officials said access to Hull Park would remain open throughout construction, but they flagged one immediate pinch point: work near the Traverse City Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant access gate was scheduled for the weekend of June 13 and 14, and the boat launch would be limited during that period. For residents who use the park, trail, launch or nearby streets, that means the project will affect day-to-day access even if the park itself remains open.

The line begins at the plant at 606 Hannah Street, a facility that serves roughly 15,000 Traverse City residents, about 30,000 township residents and local industries. The city’s Municipal Utilities department, led by Director Art Krueger, oversees wastewater collections and transmission systems, the backbone that moves sewage across town and keeps the plant functioning.

The project also fits into a much larger spending push. Traverse City has said it committed more than $48 million in water and sewer improvements over five years, and city commissioners approved seven sewer-related projects in 2026 totaling an estimated $26.807 million for borrowing through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. That financing puts real pressure on the city to keep projects on schedule and avoid costly delays or road-blocking surprises.

Officials have tied that spending to public health, service reliability and long-term system sustainability. In practical terms, the city is trying to prevent the kind of failure that would interrupt service for thousands of households and businesses, or strain a system that already serves both city and township users. The 2025 sewer relocation project also earned national recognition from the American Public Works Association, with credit going to Krueger and partners Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., Elmer’s Crane and Dozer, Inc. and the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority.

For now, the main takeaway is straightforward: Hull Park will stay open, but the sewer work will be visible, the boat launch will face limits, and Traverse City is pressing ahead with another major investment in the infrastructure under its streets and trails.