A $37,100 grant to help extend the W. Drahner Road safety path all the way to M-24 was recently awarded to Oxford Township.
The grant is from the GreenWays Initiative Predevelopment Grants program of the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan.
It will cover the design and engineer costs associated with extending the safety path from Newman Road to Pontiac St. and from Pontiac St. to M-24.
Currently, the safety path extends from Sanders Road to Newman Road on the south side of W. Drahner.
Beyond that, there are ‘intermittent paths going east that developers have installed? on both the north and south sides, according to Treasurer Joe Ferrari, who chairs the safety path committee.
Ferrari said the planned safety path extension will cross W. Drahner at Newman Road and continue on the north side eastward to M-24.
The estimated cost for the approximately 10,000-foot path extension ? including design, engineering, construction and contingency fund ? is $607,970.
Ferrari said the W. Drahner project was selected as the ‘Number One priority? by the safety path committee because ‘that’s the most heavily-trafficked area.?
‘If you take a look at the Drahner Road safety path, there’s a ton of folks who use it,? the treasurer said.
Ferrari noted the proposed W. Drahner path extension will connect with the Polly Ann Trail and the village’s sidewalk system via Pontiac St.
How pedestrians will cross the heavily-travelled W. Drahner Road to get to the north-side extension has not yet been decided. ‘We don’t know whether we’re going to go over the road or under it,? Ferrari said.
Rowe Engineering has proposed constructing either an elevated pedestrian bridge or a box culvert with lighting. Each involves an estimated cost of $200,000.
‘That’s where a majority of our expenses will come from,? Ferrari said.
The third crossing option is a pedestrian crossing with pavement marking, signage and possibly a flashing signal. The estimated cost for that is $1,000 to $10,000.
‘I think the road’s too busy for that,? Ferrari said of the last option. ‘I don’t know how safe that would be. You’ve got gravel trains going down there.?
Extending the W. Drahner path will also require the acquisition of some easements from property owners along the road and the construction of boardwalks over some wetland areas.
Payment of the $31,700 design and engineering grant for the project is ‘conditional upon? the township ‘convening a meeting with representatives from? Oxford Village, Lake Orion, Orion Township and the Polly Ann Trailway Management Council, ‘for the purpose of working together to develop a regional greenways and pathway system.?
‘I don’t anticipate that being a problem. I think that will go just fine,? Ferrari said of the grant condition. ‘Orion can really help us out. Orion’s had a lot more experience (with safety paths) than we have.?
In addition to the W. Drahner project, the township has six other new safety paths on the drawing board.
The proposed paths include:
n Seymour Lake Road from Granger Road to Indian Knolls ? approximately 5,500 feet
n Seymour Lake Road from Granger Road to Bahar Court ? approximately 7,000 feet
n Granger Road from Seymour Lake Road to Dunlap Road ? approximately 6,000 feet
n Dunlap Road from Granger Road to M-24 ? approximately 8,000 feet
n Waterstone (POH Medical Center to Market St.) ? approximately 4,000 feet
n Oxford Middle School (Ray Road east of M-24 and Oxford Road south of Ray Rd. toward the school) ? approximately 6,000 feet
The estimated total cost for the topographic surveys, preliminary designs and design engineering for these six projects is $114,891.
As for how the safety path projects will be paid for, Ferrari said the township board could ‘allocate monies, but with budget cuts that may not be feasible.?
Ferrari said the township’s safety path fund currently has approximately $55,000 in it and will not see an increase in the 2004 budget ‘because of revenue sharing cuts? from the state.
Allocating township funds as they become available would be a ‘lengthy process,? the treasurer warned.
The other option is to ask voters to approve either a dedicated operating millage or bond issue in August or November 2004.
Completing the path projects according to the amount of operating millage collected each year would also be a ‘slow process,? the treasurer noted.
‘I’d rather have a bond issue where you could do all eight projects. . .in one summer,? Ferrari said. ‘A bond issue could be a lot more feasible because as more people move into the community, the (tax) rates (levied to repay it) go down.?
Grants to cover path construction costs are being explored, Ferrari said.
This reporter talked to some Oxford residents Monday afternoon who were using the existing W. Drahner safety path and favored its extension.
‘I think it’s a great idea,? said Marla Yeomans, who lives in Oxford Woods and has children at Clear Lake Elementary. ‘I always thought when the girls were older, we could ride the bikes to at least Pontiac St. It would be nice to make it there and go to the library.?
‘I think it will be great because I think it will be safer for the kids if they want to ride their bikes or rollerblade,? said resident and Clear Lake parent Elizabeth Knop.
‘I think it’s a great idea,? said resident Jodi Hill-hicks. ‘I think the more opportunities people have to get out ? walk, bike ride, get some exercise ? the better.?