Initial design and schedule released for trail extension

The West Bloomfield Township Parks and Recreation Commission at its Thursday, Sept. 22 meeting was given a presentation by Wade-Trim regarding the preliminary design and schedule for a 2.7-mile trail extension from Arrowhead Road to Haggerty Road — and the public will soon have its turn.

Another presentation of the project will be made at a public input meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Building, located at 4640 Walnut Lake Road.

There will be a public comment session after the presentation.

After the public input meeting, the schedule calls for plans to be submitted to the township later this month, as well as the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) on Nov. 4.

The MDOT would also hold a grade inspection meeting on Nov. 18.

The Parks and Recreation Commission will also have a joint walk along the trail with the Planning Commission and Wetlands Review Board members in mid-November, with a public hearing and joint review session later that month.

The township board would then vote on the plans on Dec. 12. The plans would then be submitted to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for review and approval that same month.

MDOT will receive the final plans on Dec. 22 and the project’s contract would be awarded on April 3.

Construction of the project is scheduled from April to July in 2012.

Last December, the Parks and Recreation Commission purchased an abandoned stretch of the Michigan Airline Railway corridor, from Arrowhead Road to Haggerty Road.

The total cost of the purchase was $1.725 million, with $1.45 million covered by a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and $300,000 covered by a grant from MDOT.

When it is completed, the West Bloomfield Trail will stretch out to 6.5 miles.