The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced the approval of two large grants to support pedestrian safety projects in Southwest Michigan.
In all, MDOT says $6 million in Transportation Alternatives Program grants are being awarded to six projects around the state. That includes a $351,000 grant that’s going to the Van Buren County Road Commission for the Blue Star Trail separated pathway project.
Van Buren County Road Commission Managing Director Bret Witkowski tells us the separated pathway project will result in a roughly half-mile trail along Blue Star Highway from the Kal-Haven Trail to Baseline Road in South Haven Township. He says this is a collaboration between multiple groups around South Haven.
“I think what really sets us apart from others is the matching funds are all common from private donations,” Witkowski said. “It’s a group — Friends of Blue Star — and they have raised a lot of money so far and I believe them and the convention center are coming together to do their portion of that grant to make this happen.”
Witkowski says the Van Buren County Road Commission applied for the grant on behalf of the participating organizations.
“Since we’re the agency that has the road and receives funds and we’ve also been involved in advising them.”
Witkowski said the partners have been working on this project for a long time and he’s glad to see them succeed.
Meanwhile, MDOT announced on Monday that a $620,000 TAP grant has been awarded to the Berrien County Road Department for the South Roosevelt Road shared-use path project. That’s a project by Lincoln Township to construct a 10-foot-wide shared use path from Hidden Pines Road to Marquette Woods Road.
The township’s received a $1.5 million federal allocation for the work and applied for the TAP grant last year. The project has faced delays because of higher-than-expected construction costs, partly due to the need to build a bridge over Hickory Creek. With the grant approved, it appears the project can now get started.
