By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Ortonville — Originally approved in March of 2023, the Oakwood sidewalk project was intended to be partially funded with the 2023 Small Urban Grant, and would have put a sidewalk from Narrin Park to Cedar Street.
“The process to do easements is difficult, which we knew, but it’s more difficult than we thought,” said Village Manager Ryan Madis. “It’s a trifecta of fun agencies, in that it is federal money that the Michigan Department of Transportation handles on an Oakland County road, so we get to jump through hoops on all those layers.”
The federal funds, provided through MDOT, were expected to cover around $124,000 in cost of the project. Due to the various communities in the Small Urban group, a new project for the funds has not yet been decided on. The group includes Atlas, Groveland and Brandon townships, as well as Goodrich and Ortonville villages. The Small Urban groups are determined by the US Census.
“We have to reallocate our 2024 funds, and we have to agree on how to reallocate the money,” he said.
Currently, there are funds for 2024 that are allocated to a sidewalk on Narrin Street in Ortonville, as well as the project on Hegel Road in Goodrich.
“The Small Urban group will meet in early March to discuss how to proceed,” he said. “But the leading option is to reprogram the funds to improve all of Narrin Street, or as much of it as the funds will allow.”