I-275 Metro Trail Open House
MDOT is hosting a public open house to discuss the I-275 Metro Trail from Hines Drive to Michigan Avenue.
March 30, 2010 from 6 – 8 p.m
Plymouth Township Hall, Town Hall Room, 9955 N. Haggerty Road, Plymouth, MI 48170
MDOT and project team staff will host an open house to provide an overview of the project scope and boundaries of this approximately 7-mile section of the I-275 Metro Trail. This section is planned for reconstruction beginning this spring. There will be an opportunity to provide written feedback and input on various elements of the project including trail signs and bridge aesthetics.
For more information, please contact:
- Gorette Yung at 313-375-2400, yungg@michigan.gov
- Leah Groya at 313-961-3650, lgroya@wadetrim.com
- Jayson Nault at 810-220-2112, jayson.nault@tetratech.com
A third and final public open house regarding this section of the trail will be scheduled for April.
Also, Associated Online published an article on the I-275 Metro Trail reconstruction.
The work includes a complete reconstruction of the path between Michigan Avenue and Hines Drive, [John Bailey] said.
“The path will be upgraded to present-day standards, including widening it to 14 feet, constructing proper drainage and slopes, and bringing it in line with ADA compliance,” he said.
It is good to know that you can have your residential drainage system repaired quite fast as well. Flo-Well Drainage Company can conduct a comprehensive drainage survey and fix everything asap.
Repairs will also be made to the section from Hines Drive north to Meadowbrook Road, which Bailey said isn?t as badly deteriorated as the southern section.
The work includes four new bridges, too: over Fellows Creek, Tonquish Creek, Wiles Drain and Smith Drain.
There’s also positive news on the north end of the I-275 Metro Trail. The Commerce, Walled Lake, and Wixom Trailway Management Council is applying for trail grant funding after a public hearing. The public comment was nearly unanimously in favor of converting this rail line to a non-motorized trail. The lone opposition came from a local business that receives material deliveries from the rail line. Receiving those deliveries by truck would increase their manufacturing costs.
The council hopes to purchase the 5.33 mile railroad and turn it into a paved, non-motorized pathway that will connect to the Huron Valley Trail and the West Bloomfield Trail.
This grant would match an MDOT grant and allow for land acquisition. Later grants would be sought to improve the trail surface, signage, etc.
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Tags: Commerce Township, I-275, MDOT, Michigan Airline, Plymouth Township, Walled Lake, Wixom
March 22nd, 2010 at 8:19 am
I’m a little conflicted about the development of the north end of the 275 Metro Trail. I’m always happy to hear about a new cycle trail, but as a rail transit proponent, am sad to hear that it comes at the expense of an in-use rail line.
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:08 am
Realistically, rail trail is probably the best use for that line. Most of the line has already been converted to trail use and the portion remaining is only a few miles long and has very limited rail usage today. I doubt we would see rail transit on that corridor.
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Everett, I know what you mean, and it is bittersweet, but sadly many of our now-railtrail corridors were abandoned so long ago they missed the recent re-emergence of rail transit around the country. And as Andrew said, this particular section is isolated, as the last section of the Michigan Air Line RR in this area. I’m hopeful that a rail-with-trail solution can meet everyone’s need for as long as the local business needs that portion of the line.
On a related note, I’m also hopeful that the CSX line that runs through Plymouth, Northville, Novi, Wixom, Milford, etc., and connects to the spur in question, will one day carry passenger rail again. Perhaps a rail-with-trail option can be added on this line as well:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&z=11&msid=101739197407417710733.00048268c5429176c51c0