By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Saugatuck Township wants to replace “a right-of-way in the air” with a grounded north-south connecting road inland from where Lakeshore Drive washed out nearly 40 years.
But so far the estimated $9+-million project has met, and not yet overcome, its own waves.
First money: The township board March 11 recommitted $250,000 in local funds to back a second Allegan County Road Commission application for a $7.2-million federal BUILD (Better Utilize Investments to Leverage Development) grant.
But prospective residents near that new road last Wednesday expressed concern about what impacts may be on them.
Genesis
A 1988 storm, with Lake Michigan at then record-high water levels, caused the county’s north-south primary road west of Blue Star Highway to collapse between 130th Avenue/Wiley Road west of Blue Star Highway.
Emergency responders have long called for quicker, more-direct access to homes south of the divide.
Last February the ACRC,
augmented by $1 million in Michigan Infrastructure Office Technical Assistance Center monies and a $250,000 match from the township, submitted a 71-page request to BUILD to help build a new 69th Street between Wiley Road and 126th Avenue.
Township manager Daniel Defranco admitted “work may still be a few years out.” Even with a $7.2-million grant, work would still need a detailed environmental assessment completed prior to right-of-way acquisition. “Tribal review will be needed,” he added. “Project design and engineering will require finalizing too.
“We’re a long way from this being imminent,” said DeFranco. “But we’re taking steps.”
The fed dinged the grant ask first time around, but annual grant cycles let hopefuls try, try again, maybe amending their requests. Now’s time.
“We’ve discussed with Craig (ACRC director Atwood) alternate routes,” Defranco told board members last week. “Gone over ways to mitigate impacts of development, road dimensions, speed limits, more curves to slow traffic, maintaining neighborhood character …
“We recommended adding a bike trail beside the road with $15,000 we set aside to explore alternative routes,” he continued.
“We drive the bus,” he answered one public question. “Not them (the ACRC).”
Treasurer Jon Helmrich suggested drafting a new letter to the ACRC regarding shoulder widths, whether keeping the bike/pedestrian trail is advisable at this point and sharing more concerns garnered through public input.
“If the grant is approved, we’ll have less ability to oversee how it’s done,” said former planning commission member Dayle Harrison. “This plan is far incomplete.”
Fellow resident Wally Petersen asked to board to rescind or pause the grant request, citing the land’s quiet, rural nature. “This needs more explaining,” he said.
“Perhaps we could do a field trip to the site,” said Helmrich. “Invite concerned citizens.”
“There’s ticks there,” Defranco said.
What will the second letter say? We’ll learn soon enough.
