The ten-foot-wide path will present a brand new pedestrian route between Lengthy Lake and Wattles roads.
Map supplied by SEMCOG
TROJE – A $1.28 million grant to the town of Troy will pave the best way for a one-mile path.
The Southeast Michigan Council of Authorities awarded the funding as a part of the Transportation Alternate options Program. The cash can be used for a 12-foot vast path between Wattles and Lengthy Lake Highway.
TAP is a aggressive program that distributes roughly $10 million in federal funds every fiscal yr to native transportation initiatives, similar to modernization of shared-use trails and sidewalks, pedestrian security enhancements, new sidewalks and different facilities that improve usability.
The Metropolis of Troy has been focused on offering trails to the neighborhood for the reason that Nineteen Seventies and started working steadily on such efforts within the early 2000s.
The brand new path begins on the heart crosswalk on Wattles Highway, runs to Leonard Elementary College on Tallman Highway after which continues north to Eckford Road.
From there, it runs by two new housing developments to the Troy Division of Public Works web site, earlier than persevering with by a 3rd housing growth and ending at an present shared-use path on Lengthy Lake Highway.
The place it passes neighborhoods and the DPW lot, the path will characteristic a mixture of improved sidewalks and new paved paths. On the college grounds, the route follows and crosses the scenic Sturgis Drain.
“It is a transformative grant for us – the fourth part of this path challenge – and it’s the first part that connects to essentially vital roadways and makes our path system helpful on many ranges,” Troy Mayor Ethan Bake mentioned in a press release.
“I am excited to see this work get underway, and I am so grateful to have the federal {dollars} to return again to the neighborhood the place a lot of the work got here from,” Baker mentioned. “Thanks to the federal representatives who labored so arduous to make that occur. And naturally, I help the reauthorization of the Transportation Act – it is an vital a part of what native governments rely on and use. Thanks once more to SEMCOG – we’re very grateful for all you are doing.”
The challenge goals to create a brand new bicycle and pedestrian route that may assist join close by neighborhoods to varsities, parks and different metropolis choices.
“So it begins at Wattles, the place the midblock crossing is… and it goes all over this complete sq. mile and ends at Lengthy Lake, which provides you the choice to go all the best way to Jaycee Park with our newly authorised hawk sign, (the place) you’ll be able to cross safely at Jaycee Park, or you’ll be able to go up Rochester Highway to Sylvan Glenn Lake Park,” mentioned Public Works Director Kurt Bovensiep.
A ceremonial test was introduced to officers on the Troy Metropolis Council assembly on Dec. 15, honoring the most recent growth within the challenge.
“First, as a resident of Troy and as Govt Director of SEMCOG, we’re thrilled to listen to that there’s a ardour for trails in our area,” mentioned Amy O’Leary, Govt Director of SEMCOG. “Additionally (I am) personally very excited that this can be in Troy.”
In a press release, Oakland County Commissioner Gwen Markham (District 15) mentioned she is honored to serve on the Regional Evaluation Committee that helps choose initiatives for SEMCOG.
“The committee is bipartisan,” Markham mentioned. “We’re all speaking about transportation – transferring the vehicles, transferring the folks round our area. Everybody has the identical issues, so the politics aren’t there after we get collectively.
“One of many issues we’re is how many individuals is that this going to achieve? And the way will we join with different communities?” she continued. “We’re doing our greatest to make sure that there are initiatives all through the seven-county area.”
For extra data, go to troymi.gov.