Committee Identifies Sidewalk Construction Projects for 2011

The Shelby Township Board of Trustees approved 11 proposed sidewalk construction projects for 2011.

The projects will cost the city about $100,000 and remains within the budgeted amount allotted for the project.

However, the final cost will be submitted when the project is sent out to bid.

The Sidewalk Committee, which is made up of eight volunteers ranging in areas of expertise such as engineers, accountants and city Treasurer Paul Viar, meets once a month to identify its sidewalk priorities.

Richard Batchelder, chairman of the Sidewalk Committee, said the group's goal is to provide uninterrupted and safe pedestrian access throughout the community.

Batchelder said the group prioritizes its projects by taking into account the proximity to a school, shopping center or trail.

Once the areas are identified, the next hurdle is to secure the required easements, which is the right to use the property without possessing it.

Batchelder said it’s often too costly to fight residents or businesses that refuse to allow the sidewalks to cross their property, so they go around it, leaving the strip blank.

The following projects were approved:

1. North side of 21 Mile Road, west of Hayes Road

Cost: $10,500

This project extends an existing sidewalk across three parcels between the Boys and Girls Club and Milonas Drive. Construction of these missing sidewalks would allow residents from several abutting single-family subdivisions nearly one mile of continuous pedestrian access. It would also connect these neighborhoods with the retail development at the Hayes Road intersection.

2. 1320 21 Mile Road (south side of 21 Mile Road, west of the M-53 Freeway)

Cost: $3,500

The completion of this sidewalk would complete the existing sidewalk between the M-53 pedestrian bridge and Whispering Woods Park.

3. North side of 22 Mile Road, west of the post office

Cost: $6,500

This project encompasses two parcels located between the post office and the approved site for the nursing home to the west. When this sidewalk is completed and the abutting nursing home site is constructed, residents from the Central Park neighborhood to the west will be able to walk safely to the post office and the businesses along Van Dyke.

4. East side of Shelby Road, north of 25 Mile Road

Cost: $7,000

This project will complete a missing sidewalk along the frontage of the Coney Island restaurant at the corner of 25 Mile and Shelby roads. This missing segment of sidewalk is particularly important considering its proximity to the existing apartment complexes to the north and the Macomb Orchard Trail to the east.

5. 14911 24 Mile Road (north side of 24 Mile Road, west of Hayes Road)

Cost: $10,000

This sidewalk extension encompasses a single-family parcel between the Nottinghill mixed-use project at the northwest corner of 24 Mile and Hayes roads and the Buckingham Forest subdivision to the west.

6. North side of 25 Mile Road, west of Apple Lane

Cost: $12,000

This project extends a sidewalk from the entrance to the Shelby Orchard subdivision to the sidewalk and pedestrian bridge to the west. Completion of this sidewalk will provide a continuous path between the Shelby Orchard subdivision and Woodside Village subdivision.

7. South side of West Utica Road, east of Dequindre Road

Cost: $3,500

This project completes a small sidewalk gap on West Utica Road between the gas station and the mini-storage site. The project also includes the installation of a guard rail adjacent to the sidewalk to protect users from a steep grade change.

8. West side of Mound Road, south of 24 Mile Road

Cost: $5,000

This extension involves the construction of a sidewalk from 24 Mile Road south across the frontage of two professional office sites. Sidewalks are widely available along both Mound Road and 24 Mile Road in the vicinity of this intersection. Since this site is already developed, the township has limited opportunity to require the existing property owners to install a sidewalk. The completion of this sidewalk will assist a visually impaired resident who is a frequent sidewalk user. Adequate right-of-way is available to accommodate the installation of a sidewalk without any additional property acquisition.

9. Southeast corner of 26 Mile Road and Van Dyke

Cost: $3,000

This project extends handicap access ramps north of 26 Mile Road and west to Van Dyke. The other three corners of this intersection include handicapped ramps. Completion of the ramps will allow for pedestrian access across 26 Mile Road to the north and west across Van Dyke.

10. 2600 24 Mile Road (south side of 24 Mile Road, east of Seven Oaks Drive)

Cost: $4,000

Currently there are two missing sidewalks on the south side of 24 Mile Road on either side of the entrance to Seven Oaks subdivision (Seven Oaks Drive). This project would provide a connection to the existing sidewalks along 24 Mile Road to the east. This project also requires a drain crossing.

11. North side of 25 Mile Road, east of Mound Road

Cost: $35,000

The Kingsway Apartments on the north side of 25 Mile Road were constructed in the 1960s before the installation of sidewalks was a requirement of side plan approval. Existing residential projects to the east and west have installed sidewalks. Completion of this connection would provide a continuous sidewalk from the Mound Road intersection east for a distance of approximately 1,700 feet.