Marshall County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters asked the county council for support for the proposed Community Crossings Matching Grant Program project for this year.
He explained that preliminary estimates put the project on North Michigan Road from the roundabout to 3A Road at about $1.5 million. Peters said if the application is approved by the state, the state would contribute up to $1 million for the project while the county would need to fund the match at about $500,000.
Peters noted that the 4.5 mile portion of road is a mill and fill resurfacing project with millings to come back to the Highway Department to be repurposed on other county roads once prepared.
He commented that work on Michigan Road through the county has been ongoing for about three years.
“Completing that project would actually have Michigan Road done from County Line all the way to the City Limits,” stated Peters. “Michigan is probably the second highest traveled road in the county. I think traffic count-wise I think Veteran’s Parkway probably carries the most.”
Councilman Jon VanVactor said the council budgeted about $300,000 in the Rainy Day Fund for the match for Community Crossings this year and believes there are funds in the LOIT fund to come up with the rest of the money.
The council unanimously agreed to support the project for Community Crossings in this call for project. Peters reminded the council that if the state approves this project, the county cannot apply for the second round in the summer. The state only allows up to $1 million in projects in a year.
