Ypsilanti Border to Border trail project to receive $300K from state
The Ypsilanti Border to Border trail project will receive a $300,000 grant, after the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced it was one of 54 development projects selected for funding.
The grant will be used for the portion of the project that runs through the Water Street property.
A pedestrian bridge will cross the Huron River just north of Michigan Avenue.
File photo
The DNR board selected the projects during its Wednesday meeting. The exact date of when the funds will be dispersed is not yet known.
For the 2011 round, 77 projects received development grant funding, worth more than $16 million. Fifty-four projects receive a little more than $9 million for the 2012 round of grants.
"What this does is it lets us complete the linear park and trail project," said City Planner Teresa Gillotti. "This is a huge piece of the border to border trail. ... We're very happy with it. It's an important grant for Water Street."
In 2011, the city applied for a Trust Fund grant to fund a separate part of the Border to Border Trail. The city received word earlier this year that the Ypsilanti Heritage Bridge Development project, which will include a pedestrian bridge over the river under Michigan Avenue and a fishing pier, received a $289,400 grant.
Gillotti said a "major link" that was missing will now be connected. A portion of the project will see the bridge connect the Border To Border Trail from Riverside Park to Water Street near where the proposed $12 million recreation center may be built on Water Street.
Linking Frog Island Park, Riverside Park, Water Street and Water Works Park continues to be a priority for the city, Gillotti said.
The trail also will continue southward into Ypsilanti Township. Connecting to surrounding communities and counties also could be a possibility. The city is working with Fischer Honda, at 15 East Michigan Ave., to develop an agreement to allow the trail to run through its property.
The trail would go through the corner of its parking lot on the west side. Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation has taken on the part of the project reaching out Honda.
The pedestrian bridge project construction will likely begin in 2013, but the Water Street portion might not be started until the spring or summer of 2014. Ideally, the city would like to construct the two projects together, but Gillotti said the city doesn't want to move forward until the funding is received.
"We’d like to construct both projects together because it would be smoother and cheaper to only have to mobilize a construction team once," Gillotti previously said. "We want to wait for approval from the state for the allocation. ... We don’t want to take the process to the next step until we have the money in hand."
Mayor Paul Schreiber said the grant is great news for the city.
"The bridge for the border to border trail, it's all part of the whole site and vision for the Water Street project," Schreiber said.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
Julie Baker
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 5:01 p.m.
This is great news. I'm looking forward to trying the new trail!
lumberg48108
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 4:05 p.m.
long over due - and stop celebrating Ypsi and Ypsi Township have wonderful access/views to a river and lake and under utilize them both; and have for decades. take a drive along Grove road - you can barely see Ford Lake -- all the trees should be trimmed to allow maximum coast line driving to maximize the beauty my god - how has this not been done (they have taken baby steps but not enough) -- the view from I-94 should be maximized too; instead drivers get like 3 seconds of lake viewing drive through bellevelle and you cannot escape the lake; in Ypsi, it seems its TRYING to be hidden and the Huron River is not even visible between Spring Street and Michigan Ave ... NOT EVEN VISIBLE sans the place where people feed the ducks how can Ypsi and the Township so under utilize a natural resource???? its befuddling... it cannot cost that much money to create more views of the lake and river you want to improve the area? start with what nature has provided and showcare the beauty and, as others have said, connect them all
Dog Guy
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 3:59 p.m.
Ypsilanti has always been on a border-to-border trail variously called US-12, MIchigan Avenue, the Western Stage Company Trail, the Chicago Road, and the Sauk trail. A brass plaque in Bronson, Michigan, calls it "a huge serpent, lazily pursuing its onward course, utterly unconcerned as to its destination." And now there will be a new trail athwart the old creating a chiasm to X Michigan off the map.
Townspeak
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 3:18 p.m.
Connect the bike lane to Gallup park and the rest of Ann ARbor. right now, the huron river trail, from Gallup toward Ypsi, stops at the dam and one has to go on dangerous city streets. this is dumb and it all should be interconnected for one great ride all along the river.
zanzerbar
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 4:14 p.m.
What? There is a bike path that goes all the way to Ypsi. Get yourself a B to B map and actually take a ride on it. You can then cross intersections at crosswalks with a light. Ride much?
Ross
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 2:10 p.m.
Awesome. I want this trail all linked up so I can take a nice leisurely bike ride on it.
Ignatz
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 3:11 p.m.
Good luck dodging the walkers!
Bob Krzewinski
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 1:58 p.m.
Before any comments come in that "Ypsilanti is broke" or "this trail is a waste of money" it should be first noted that NO funds from the City of Ypsilanti will be used to construct this trail. Primary funds are from the DNR Trust Fund, with additional funds from a Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission parks and trail fund (a fund approved by County taxpayers in 1998 and again in 2008). It should also be noted that both funding sources are required by law to spend their funds only on recreational projects (i.e. these funds cannot be transferred to other non-recreational projects. Also, study after study have shown that non-motorized trails can be a real economic driver for a community. Developers like them as they make a property more attractive. Towns like them because they bring in people who tend to visit restaurants and stores and spend money. Residents like non-motorized trails as it gives them somewhere to safely ride a bike or walk for recreation or transportation. For a map of the Water Street trail, visit http://tinyurl.com/czb7djd. Bob Krzewinski Friends Of The Border To Border Trail www.bordertoborder.org
foobar417
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 1:13 p.m.
Great news!
moonunit
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 12:46 p.m.
Congrats to all involved in making this happen. It is a good thing for all!
conundrummy
Fri, Dec 7, 2012 : 11:41 a.m.
I think this is great.