If your state senator is on this list, it would be extra valuable for you to contact them regarding the below message. They are members of a new senate committee that will be reviewing the stimulus spending:

• Ron JELINEK (R-Three Oaks)
• Jud GILBERT (R-Algonac)
• John PAPPAGEORGE (R-Troy)
• Roger KAHN (R-Saginaw)
• Mark JANSEN (R-Gaines Twp.)
• Mickey SWITALSKI (D-Roseville)
• Deb CHERRY (D-Burton)
• Irma CLARK-COLEMAN (D-Detroit)

From Nancy Krupiarz:

As some of you know, the I-275 Pathway was listed on the MDOT list for federal stimulus dollars. Now that the federal stimulus package has passed, MDOT is wrestling with priorities. The Pathway does rise to the top in terms of priorities. However, there are already constituent letters to legislators from readers who have seen the Pathway on the list and have declared it a waste of money.

Since the final approval of projects will probably end up going through the legislature somehow someway, it is important that the legislators especially with districts along the pathway hear plenty of support from their constituents for this project. This would help a lot in getting these dollars on the ground on the Pathway. So, please contact your state Senator and Representative today. Let them know that:

• This is a major nonmotorized artery for Southeast Michigan, a 43+ mile trail linking up 3 counties and 14 communities. The trail will eventually link up to trails at both the north and south terminus and at several junctures along the way, including Huron Valley Trail, Hines Drive, Canton Township Trails and the Monroe trails.
• This trail is used for commuting to work and school, for recreation, and also serves as a greenbelt along the freeway that is valuable for aesthetics and wildlife habitat.
• It is needed as a framework for active living. As Richard Jackson from the US Center for Disease Control, has said, “It is dishonest to tell our citizens to walk, jog, or bicycle when there is no safe or welcoming place to pursue these life-saving activities.”
• The communities all along the way will be enhanced as they make nonmotorized linkages to this trail. Bikeable/walkable communities are noted as one of the top desired features listed by those seeking homes according the National Association of Homebuilders.

If you don’t know who your legislator is, you can go to http://www.michiganlegislature.org and click on Legislators on the left sidebar. At the bottom of that page, click on Find your representative and Find your senator and fill in your county and zip code and you will get all the information you need.

Thanks for giving your support to the I-275 Pathway!

Nancy Krupiarz
Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

Tags: economic stimulus, I-275

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 11:37 am and is filed under MDOT, Trails. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.