In March 2021, Pittsfield Township was awarded a little over $1 million in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) to install a 10’ non-motorized pathway and green infrastructure along State Road. The project limits are from Airport Blvd. on the north to Avis Dr. on the south.
This project is the first one to combine Pittsfield Township’s non-motorized and green infrastructure priorities into a single project. The aim is to not just expand transportation access for all but also install rain/pollinator gardens and bioswales that will improve the quality of water run-off. These dual priorities – multi-modal transportation and green infrastructure – reflect the decade-long goal of Supervisor Grewal and her team to promote both equity and sustainability in Pittsfield Township.
The green infrastructure installations will in the existing ditches along State Road. The proposed design for the pathway includes a 10-foot-wide asphalt non-motorized pathway, 2-foot wide shoulders, a pedestrian crossing at Avis Drive, traffic signal upgrades, and pavement markings.
The project will be implemented in coordination with the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC). Design and engineering services are ongoing, which will then allow the WCRC to complete the right-of-way certification process in preparation of submitting a June 2022 Grade Inspection Package submittal to MDOT, with final plans submitted to MDOT in August 2022, targeting an early November 2022 bid letting.