DTE promises to come back in spring and replace sidewalks
The replacement of DTE Energy gas lines has caused massive disruption throughout the city. Some residents are complaining about the temporary sidewalk slabs being installed – but there is a reason for it city officials say.
By Charles Sercombe
If you haven’t noticed, this city is all torn up.
DTE Energy has been ripping up sidewalks throughout town since last summer to upgrade its gas lines.
That’s all been good, but in the meantime residents have had to deal with closed streets and trying to find a place to park their cars, often blocks away from their home.
Again, in the big picture of things, its pays off.
But now there is a new wrinkle.
Residents are complaining that once the gas line replacement work is completed, the sidewalks are being shoddily replaced with a couple of inches of cement.
No need to worry, says Public Works Department Director Steve Shaya. There’s a method to this madness, he said.
Since there are so many sidewalk slabs that need to be replaced and so little time to do it before cold weather sets in, Shaya said he told DTE to pour a temporary cement slab of two inches – instead of the standard four inches.
“It’s just to get us through the winter,” he stressed.
Shaya said the plan is to have a DTE contractor come back in April and remove the temporary slabs and put in a proper sidewalk.
Acting City Manager Kyle Tertzag also pointed out that DTE initially planned to hold off on replacing the sidewalk slabs until next spring. He said the company was going to leave the sidewalks covered only with gravel.
“We weren’t going to allow that,” he said.
It’s estimated that there are a few thousand slabs that will be eventually replaced.
So, how do we know DTE will keep its word?
“I have it in writing,” Shaya said.
10 Responses to DTE promises to come back in spring and replace sidewalks
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Melissa Larson
March 27, 2019 at 7:10 pm
I also hope they fix the yard and replace the grass they dug up. It looks absolutely horrible presently.
D santrock
May 27, 2019 at 4:59 pm
Total crap RIP out your driveway 2 weeks before doing work and returning then pour cement .Then leaving a mess after concrete is cured .No one can back to remove debris and relevel yard .shoveled dirt myself to fill in the voids so rain water wouldn’t go underneath the new concrete.Total crap subcrating job .Haul off the concrete and clay and put it back the way it was.
Bernie
November 12, 2019 at 8:56 am
Now that the snow is here and we can’t shovel the sidewalks on Pulaski street, what do we do?
Steven Laginess
December 7, 2019 at 3:19 pm
RIP up my grass and broke my sidewalk in October and has never been back now I have step in mud and afraid of using my snowblower on the mess up sidewalks..Cicotte street and otis on southwest side of detroit
lisa good
May 10, 2020 at 12:57 pm
Hi,my name is Lisa, I live in Lincoln Park Mi.
as of last October, DTE tore up my sidewalk to put in
new parts. They said they were going to fix the side
walk last year but haven’t done it yet.Calling the
regular DTE phone number doesn’t get me anywhere.
Do you know whom I should call?
Lisa Good at llgood678@gmail.com
Inez Bre land
September 29, 2020 at 10:29 pm
It has been 4 weeks and my Mothers yard is ruined and her driveway has black not sure what it is.
When can it get repaired? Her lawn is the best on the block, but not now.
Marianne Harris Darnell
May 4, 2021 at 11:33 am
DTE Tore up my grass in my back yard it looks a mess. They told me that they would return, they did with a spoon full of grass seed (are you serious) I want it replaced with sod. Pleas they tore up the curve in from of my home that needs to be replaced.The whole place looks a mess and I have the pictures to prove it.
Randy Hinten
December 7, 2021 at 3:15 pm
I use a wheelchair and the gas company put black asphalt for the sidewalk instead of cement. This black asphalt is tall and lumpy and I have to go over this asphalt to get on my wheelchair ramp to go in my house. I don’t want my wheels on my power chair to track this greasy oily substance on my house floors!
8851 Homer street in Detroit.
Ron
November 28, 2022 at 11:57 am
They are repairing sidewalks and driveways everywhere in southwest how much cement was used to do those private jobs and is that the reason we still have gravel where cement should be is someone checking this out or we the people going to pay twice for cement
Rita Clark
March 23, 2023 at 6:10 pm
DTE put in new gas lines two years ago and never fixed the drive ways on my block.. They put down black tar and left it