BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR
Nowhere was it more evident what difference a new Saugatuck City Council makes than Jan. 24 when members voted 4-1 to quintuple the city’s Blue Star Trail contribution.
The city, acting as lead agent for fellow tri-community members seeking funding to connect already-built sections through the area, agreed to raise its commitment from $10,000 to $50,000 based on design changes suggested by the Michigan Department of Transportation, which administers federal Transportation Alternatives Program grants.
With Saugatuck Township and Douglas, the city has been seeking $1.275 million in TAP dollars, roughly 70 percent of the local work’s estimated $2.1-million expense, to complete the 1.14-mile North Trail section through Saugatuck city and the township.
“Overall, our recent meeting with MDOT officials was very positive,” city manager Ryan Heise told council.
But with the anticipation of a few minor design changes that would increase the estimated total cost by about 6 percent, he added, the state recommended the city raise its contribution to $50,000.
The increase would allow Saugatuck to address TAP comments related to:
• Adding significantly more trees to the project, and
• Increasing unit prices for boardwalk and grading as extra contingency for potentially-higher bids.
The project’s total costs would thus rise from an estimated $2.1 million to $2.2 million, the city’s match of that total from 0.5 percent to 2 percent.
Saugatuck Township, through which another trail stretch would be built, might also up its $10,000 match commitment. Douglas has no involvement in this phase of the proposed work.
“The importance of moving now,” said project engineer Larry Fox, “is the people with money are ready to fund this.” Conditional approvals for this TAP grant cycle are due March. 9. “If the contingency isn’t needed, it won’t be spent,” Fox said.
Another key funding component would be a requested $600,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant — both cities are asking for $300,000 — with applications due April 9. Assurance TAP dollars are in hand, Fox said, would go far toward securing those funds in MNRTF’s next annual granting cycle.
“We all know,” said Fox, “how building costs keep rising.”
The past Saugatuck City council and now ex-manager Kirk Harrier resisted efforts for two years to connect already-built neighbor government stretches of the nonmotorized pathway, voicing safety and cost concerns.
Only two of seven council members remain from that time, and new manager Heise rode in the Friends of the Blue Star Trail’s Lakeshore Harvest Ride fundraiser last September. Things have changed, though perhaps not fully.
New council member Russ Gardner voiced concern Jan. 24 about the city’s projected cost rising 500 percent, noting peers Mark Bekken and Ken Trester — neither present, but both veteran council members who had voted against past trails, shared his concerns.
Gardner’s request that council postpone voting till its next meeting Feb. 14, allowing more time to study the latest proposal and sound out constituents, drew little support from the others present.
“It’s clear from our surveys,” said Richard Donovan from the 501c3 Friends of the Blue Star Trail, which have agreed to contribute $205,000 more to the building effort, “that the vast majority of tri-community residents want this done.
“The increased contribution would still be a minor part — much less than most communities have paid — of the total costs.”
“We have studied this and studied this and studied this,” said Mayor Garnett Lewis, who placed the item on that night’s agenda.”
“We have a mandate from the community to build this,” said council woman Holly Leo. “Let’s stay on task and get this done.”
“I think I could count on one hand people who oppose this. We don’t need to beat a dead horse anymore,” Lewis said.
What is called the Trail’s North Section through the tri-community is part of a larger 20-mile stretch west of Blue Star Highway from South Haven through this area.
Friends for 11 years have raised funds with visions of connecting at 64th Street to Laketown Township’s Beeline Trail and continuing north through Holland and Grand Haven.
The projected local work consists of three segments:
The scope of work would include these stretches:
• Washington Street (Douglas) to Lake Street (Saugatuck), 1,600 feet long and including the Kalamazoo River-crossing bridge.
“This segment,” the submission notes, “includes approximately 77 feet of a 9-foot-wide, 2-way bicycle track and 7-feet-wide existing sidewalk (pedestrians). This was the only feasible option the Saugatuck Township Fire District would support because it maintained a continuous left-turn lane to allow for emergency vehicle to get across the only bridge in the community.
“Once on land, just north of the bridge, the two separate bike and pedestrian facilities merge into a shared use path. This will be done by expanding the existing 825 feet of sidewalk to a 10-foot-wide asphalt separated trail to Lake Street.
“On the south side of the bridge at Washington Street, the trail will merge directly into the existing BST through Douglas, which is a 2-way cycle track and sidewalk.”
• Lake Street to Maple Street (Saugatuck city), 900 feet long with a 10-foot-wide separated pathway.
It will require, says the narrative, “700 feet of an at grade boardwalk (or retaining wall) due to slopes along the roadway as well as relocation of an existing guardrail. The remaining 200 feet will be a 10-foot-wide separated asphalt trail with a modular block retaining wall (opposite slope condition).
• Maple Street to Old Allegan Road (Saugatuck Township), 1,300 feet long. Plans there call for 10-foot-wide separated asphalt pathway including 275 feet of boardwalk to cross a small low area, 425 feet of retaining wall due to grade issues and 600 feet of separated trail.
“The trail on the north end will cross Old Allegan, where it will connect directly to the existing trail segment,” the application says.
• North Street to Holland Street (township), 1,710 feet long including 210 feet of boardwalk to cross Goshorn Creek and the adjacent wetland, and 1,500 feet of asphalt separated trail, all being a 10-foot-wide pathway.
“This section of trail is the most unique,” reads the narrative, “as it will turn away from Blue Star Highway through Amalanchier Park and along 66th Street to Holland Street, where it will cross and connect directly to Laketown Township’s Beeline Trail (10-feet-wide asphalt trail) extending 8 miles to the City of Holland.
“This segment will utilize an old railroad grade, crossing a small creek with a boardwalk through an undeveloped park and along a low traffic road,” the application says.
Once the trail has been built, it continues, each of the three communities has agreed to provide for its maintenance, Saugatuck city and township from their general funds and Douglas from its major street fund.
Maintenance costs and budget were developed on a $1,700-per-mile figure, additional costs to maintain boardwalk and street markings; plus $2,000 per mile for snow removal and $500 for long-term maintenance, bringing the total to $4,770 per year, split up within each jurisdiction.