By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Blue Star Trail backers entered the holidays buoyed by an official state letter confirming their application for their $1.72-million federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant had been acknowledged with $1.344 million pending, though money’s not in the bank yet.
Same for Saugatuck city’s request for a $300,000 a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Development Grant. The MNRTF announced Dec. 14 it had recommended the city be among 30 successful statewide applicants for a total $8,302,700 disbursement to Michigan legislature for likely spring approval. Tri-Community Trail Committee partner Saugatuck Township’s $300K ask didn’t make the competitive cut this year.
For 12 years the 501c3 nonprofit Friends of the Blue Star Trail have raised funds to build a nonmotorized recreation path linking current trails leading into South Haven 20 miles north to Laketown Township’s 16-year-built Beeline Trail, which in turn connects further north through Holland to Grand Haven.
Nationwide support for extending such trail networks, based on local commercial benefits and fighting widespread obesity, are longer-standing still. Friends have raised their own funds, plus obtained grants and easements, to build stretches here.
Douglas and Saugatuck Township have completed segments of the Blue Star Trail’s northern 4-mile section, but former Saugatuck city leaders balked, citing safety concerns crossing the Blue Star Bridge north from Douglas and Lake Street. The status of the palette sign and post-construction maintenance costs were concerns as well.
With departures of 14-year city manager Kirk Harrier — who at one point warned without city hall approvals the Friends’ path through the tri-communities may be “a trail to nowhere” — and all seven council members from three years ago, that has changed.
Saugatuck city joined Douglas and the township three years ago in a joint committee led by new council member Holly Leo seeking to link the trail’s northern stretch through this region.
The city, now as lead agent, sought a $1.725-million TAP grant toward the estimated $2.2-million total project costs, and with Saugatuck $300,000 more each in Trust Fund grants. Friends, through fundraisers such as September’s Lakeshore Harvest Ride, have pledged $200,000 more.
MDOT officials’ emails prompted some backers this spring to wax publicly optimistic funds may be imminent. When the agency’s Julie Thomas weighed in July 8 with State Historic Preservation Office concerns about:
• Moving a planned township stretch east from Holland Street to Blue Star lest it disturb plots at Riverside Cemetery
• Digging disturbing Saugatuck city’s south Lake Street entrance palette sign, called “iconic”.
• To meet American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials concerns, the Blue Star Bridge deck plans may need to be modified
… they went publicly unresponded to till The Commercial Record reported the document’s release in a story headlined “$1.72+ Trail request dead ends, for now.”
This reporter, whose email to a Friends official had not been returned by deadline, acknowledged “dead ends” might be misleading without the next two words, “for now,” pointing out that status might be temporary. News isn’t news when old, he rationalized, adding Harrier’s “trail to nowhere” might, now responded to, prove provisionary too.
“Blue Star Trail alive+, backers say” the CR bannered next issue July 28, noting project engineer C2AE had addressed MDOT concerns in a letter saying among other things:
• The township had OK’d a proposed Trail relocation to the west side of 66th Street to avoid potential conflicts with the cemetery.
• SHPO palette sign concerns might be mitigated by records showing a reconfigured model was placed there around 2000, making its site work, foundations, lighting, landscaping and road/curb improvements less “historic.”
• Asking under what authority does placement of the cycle track on the bridge deck dictate that bridge rail upgrades are required? If so, what would be design standards? Saugatuck city, said C2AE, indicates it would be willing to remove that proposed bridge stretch and approaches from the project application and build them with local funds if MDOT will approve the grant otherwise.
Thomas Sept. 2 emailed committee members, “we are ready to move forward with issuing a conditional commitment for this grant and wondered if you had any questions before I proceed.”
Still not a formal yes, not a no.
MDOT’s recent confirmation the committee’s TAP application has been acknowledged noted further the agency still sought documentation AASHTO bridge-crossing safety standards would be met. In a press release Saugatuck City Manager Ryan Heise said the crossing was designed to meet federal standards.
The state added in boldface under “Important Factors“: “Public announcement of a project prior to funding award will jeopardize your project receiving TAP funds.”
Heise heralded work by committee members Leo and fellow city representative Ken Trester, township officials Cindy Osman and Brenda Marcy, Jerry Donovan and Kathy Mooradian from Douglas, plus Richard Donovan and John Adams of the Friends for their ongoing work.
Per the $300,000 MNRTF fund announcements, Heise was pleased. Township manager Daniel DeFranco noted, “The Trust Fund is an incredibly competitive grant program.
“The township is proud of how we scored, and we see opportunity for improvement if we were to apply next year,” he said.