By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Ortonville

-Cedar Street is getting a facelift.

At their May 23 meeting, the village council approved Ace-Saginaw Paving Company as the low bidder to repave and widen Cedar Street in an amount not to exceed $136,898.35.

The project will encompass Cedar from Oakwood Road to Ball Street and will be the sole major road project in the village this summer.

“We’ve been working on (getting) this for two years,” said John Lyons, retiring village manager.

The village received a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality scrap tire grant which will pay 50 percent of the construction costs. Communities that agree to the use of scrap tires in construction materials are eligible for the matching grants. The rubber from the tires increases flexibility and integrity of the asphalt, said Lyons.

Ace-Saginaw will grind down the existing asphalt, which will stay in place and be part of the base aggregate, and will also widen Cedar Street by six feet the length of the road from Oakwood to Ball. Lyons said the company will try to keep trees where possible.

The village’s total costs for the project, for which construction will begin within the next few weeks, is about $75,000, including engineering costs. The improvements will be completed by September.

“It’s going to enhance the area and repair a road that is in desperate need,” said Lyons.