The Project Scope
The Northfield Township Board of Trustees along with the Downtown Development Authority has adopted a resolution of support and committed matching funds for a grant application being submitted to the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation for a non motorized pathway under their “ Community Connections” grant program.
The scope of our project is about one mile of paved pathway to be used for pedestrians, biking or recreation. We are staging the project into three phases spread out over three years. It is an eight foot pathway made of concrete that runs west on Barker Road from Main Street to the Elementary School at 1077 Barker Rd.
Overall cost of the project is $650,000. Phase One is expected to cost $160,000. Phase Two is expected to cost $300,000 and Phase Three is expected to cost about $190,000. The Township has committed $60,000 spread out over three years and the DDA has committed $60,000 spread out over three years. These provide the required match for the grant applications.
· The township has been awarded $125,000 for Phase One in March of 2010 from Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Connecting Communities Grant
· The township has been awarded $250,000 for Phase Two in February of 2011 from Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Connecting Communities Grant
Purpose
One of the most important aspects of the project is the safe passage of not only adults but children walking to the Elementary School at the westernmost end of the project. Currently there is no contiguous walk on either the north or the south side of Barker from Main to the Elementary School and the neighborhoods adjacent to that road. This presents a hazardous and unsafe condition for both pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.
Connecting Communities
Additionally this path would help to link nearly 30 percent of the population of the township with the downtown merchant area and help spur economic development as Barker Road has three subdivisions adjacent to it. This pathway will connect those neighborhoods to downtown and provide safe passage for grocery shopping, banking the US post office and a wide variety of neighborhood services. It will further connect families that live on Main Street with the Elementary School.
This pathway will serve to eventually link our community with the Lakelands Trail and other rails-to-trails. Future phases will help to connect our community with the county B2B trail (Click on Concentratemedia & Intuitwebsite to read more about B2B)
Support
The project has wide spread community support and matching grant funds have been committed from the DDA, the Township, two of the local Chambers of Commerce, the Student Council, the Greater Whitmore Lake Area Kiwanis Club, Key Club and Builders Club as well as private contributions.
Phase One is for the construction of a 600 foot section of that path of which 285 feet is concrete sidewalk and 315 feet is boardwalk. Completion of phase one is expected by September of 2011. To date we have completed the pre and construction engineering, surveying, applied for miscellaneous permits and have obtained the required easements. Phase one project was opened to public on October 23rd, 2011.
Phase Two is the section from Main and Barker to the west side of the freeway entrance ramp at US 23. This has significant crossings, a county drain, an at grade rail crossing, an exit and an entrance ramp from US 23 as well as passage underneath the freeway overpass. This phase contains the most hazardous and dangerous elements of travel. Currently people on foot or bikes must use the road to navigate these critical junctures. Construction of phase II will take the non motorized traffic off the road and safely behind the bridge abutments.
Phase Three is the mid section of the project and has the most amount of available sidewalk in it currently. This phase serves to complete the Barker Road non motorized pathway.
