Representatives from USI Consultants presented the Marshall County Commissioners with cost estimates for the proposed extension of Veteran’s Parkway from Michigan Road to Pioneer Road. The project would be a joint project between the City of Plymouth and Marshall County.
The project is not expected to begin construction until 2025 or 2026, if all paperwork and funding is approved.
Phil Beer from USI said the City of Plymouth is already looking to move forward with the project. Beer said the city plans to submit the project in the Call for Projects when the window opens this fall for federal aid money, however the county will be the lead agency on the project.
The total cost of the project is estimated at a little over $14 million. Federal aid money would fund 80 percent of the project with the county responsible for about $2 million of the cost and the City of Plymouth responsible for about $911,000 of the cost.
Greg Wendling from USI said the expenses would be spread out over a few years. The design, survey, environmental reports, right-of-way purchases, engineering, construction costs, and other matters will be spread out beginning in 2021 and ending in 2026. The largest amount would be the construction cost of about $1.5 million which would be paid in 2025.
Beer responded to a question asked by Commissioner Stan Klotz on how the costs were split between the county and the city.
“We looked at what was in their [the city’s] section, the cost of that, the roadway, the pavement length – part of theirs will probably be curb and gutters whereas the county portion will be an open drainage system just like we have out on the existing roadway,” explained Beer.
Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter commented that the city council is behind the project and will discuss it at a future meeting.
Commissioner Kevin Overmyer said a commitment needs to be made by both the Plymouth City Council and Marshall County Commissioners before anything moves forward. The commissioners support the project, but will review the process when the city council commits to the Veteran’s Parkway Extension. An interlocal agreement would need to be reviewed between both entities as soon as the process moves forward.
Commissioner Klotz was not so sure the public would support it with work needing done on other county roads while Commissioner Mike Burroughs said this extension project will be vital with proposed changes coming to the U.S. 30 corridor. No formal decisions were made and more discussions on the project will be held in future meetings.
