By ELIZABETH FERSZT
Contributing Writer
If you have noticed the unusual road work being done on Lansing Avenue in Jackson across the freeway, going north to Parnall Rd. – you are not alone. The curved concrete barriers and other hardscaping makes an unlikely partner to the normally busy north/south thoroughfare in Jackson County. What are the break-away white pylons, and green-painted driveway entries? The answer is the final leg of the Mike Levine Lakeland Trail Extension.
This segment of Lansing Avenue was formerly four lanes, two northbound and two southbound, with a center lane for left hand turns. Now, it is one lane in each direction, with a center lane for turns. The Mike Levine Lakeland Trail Extension now takes up the former northbound right lane and shoulder.
Jackson County Commissioner, Steve Shotwell stated that the road work for the trail “is the completion of the Falling Waters Trail system, linking Concord, through Jackson, essentially all the way to Munith.” Shotwell explained that it’s a “linear park” for bikers and hikers to traverse the county and its natural and historic features.
According to Michigan.gov, the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail runs between Hamburg Township in Livingston County and Blackman Township in Jackson County. It was opened to the public in 1994 as the Lakelands Trail State Park. The trail is also a component of the Great Lake to Lakes Trails Route #1, which extends 275 from South Haven to Port Huron. Local philanthropist, Mike Levine, contributed extensive resources to transform the corridor into an improved trail. In 2018, the DNR changed the trail’s name to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park in recognition of Mike’s efforts.
The JCDOT website states that “the Mike Levine Lakeland Trail Extension project is being grant funded to provide a non-motorized transportation network that connects to the Jackson County Falling Waters Trail.” This is the recently re-paved rail-trail that includes the MLK Equality Trail on the path of the old Michigan Central Railroad line, running northeast to southwest, though the established neighborhoods of the City of Jackson, out past West Ave. where it becomes the Inter-city Trail at Weatherwax Rd.
“The JCDOT team began working on the project in April of 20225.”
