By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.- Mile by mile township trails linkng the segments of the community are moving forward.
By a 5-0 vote on Monday night the township board of trustees OK’d a scoping project from the sidewalks in front of the Goodrich Village offices north to Perry Road along the west side of M-15. The cost of the project is $4,357.77 to be completed by Flint-based OHM advisors.
The scoping project is necessary for a possible pathway along M-15 connecting with proposed route west on Perry Road to Atlas. The scoping or pre-engineering is the first step in getting a grant for the project.
The township board of trustees also postponed a motion to move forward on a section of trail connecting Atlas to the Grand Blanc Township line until more information is received.
The 1.6 miles of trail is projected to parallel Perry Road connecting with the recently opened 1.1 mile Gale Road Trail from the Goodrich Schools to the Village of Atlas.

The segments are a part of the Iron Belle Trail connecting the township on a state project which seeks to establish continuous trails, one for hiking and one for biking, from Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula.
Amy McMillan, Genesee County Parks & Recreation director says the Iron Belle Trial is one of their highest priorities.
“Right now we are looking at our 2018 projects for grants,” said McMillan. “The Perry Road section from Atlas to the Grand Blanc Township line through the township is more likely than not to be one of those grants. We are looking for our partners including the township, the Genesee County Board of Commissioners and the Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission to all be onboard for the project.”
Some of the funding will be from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant which is due April 1,2018. If approved the funds would be available in December 2018 with construction sometime in 2019 along Perry Road, added McMillan.
“The trust fund grants has designated the Iron Belle Trail as top priority too,” she said.
Paulette Johnson is the co-chair of Walk, Bike, Run Atlas Township said the township also has trail priorities.
“The scoping is necessary for shovel ready projects,” said Johnson. “The Atlas to the Grand Blanc county line has already been scoped. We are continuing to move forward on the Atlas Township trail projects with the goal ultimately to connect each trail in the community. The trails are for the taxpayers and residents of the township—our top priority. The Iron Belle Trail and trails in other communities are really out of our control.”
Following the Gale Road trail the Atlas to Irish Road trail, followed by the Irish Road to the Grand Blanc Township line. The next priority will be the M-15 trail to the Oakland County line.
“There residents along M-15 that would have easy access to a trial,” she said. “Other trails would be Perry Road from M-15 to the Village of Atlas and Ridge Road from Hegel to Green Road.”