City’s application for rec trail grant turned down for a 3rd time

The Michigan Department of Transportation has informed the City of Wayland that its third application for a grant to help build and pave a recreational trail along the north-south interurban was not successful.

The city now intends to re-submit another application as long as there is no added fee.

But the move was not without opposition. City Councilwoman Tracy Bivins, who has opposed the trail from the get-go, insisted the city spend no more money on asking for the grant, saying, “This is going nowhere.”

In the past, Bivins has called it “a trail to nowhere” because it does not connect with the old interurban in Leighton Township to the north and Wayland Township to the south.

Former City Manager Mike Selden, who left last month, submitted the application insisting it was much strengthened over previous requests.

City Engineer Mickey Bittner of Wightman Associates, said he’d like to tweak the next application. “We’d like to pursue more aggressive support from our surrounding townships… But I don’t see anything significant to add to the narrative.”

Deadline for application is April 1.

Councilwoman Jennifer Antel, an unabashed supporter of the project, said there are about 20 groups in the Grand Rapids area that have expressed support for the trail to Gov. Rick Snyder. She has indicated that one huge reason she supports a non-motorized trail from Dahlia Street to 133^rd Avenue is that it very well could lead to increased visitors to the downtown area.

Bivins and Tim Rose cast two dissenting votes in the 5-2 decision last winter to submit an application for the grant.

The cost of the project to pave the gravel road along the railroad bed and turn it into a trail has been estimated at $723,000. The city would be required to provide a $125,000 local match, which Selden noted the Downtown Development Authority already has set aside.

Bivins has opposed the project because of fears it will invite trespassers and unwanted visitors for people who live along the proposed trail. Supporters have suggested that trespassing and vandalism will decrease because of the trail, which is geared to family-friendly activities such as walking and bicycling.

Bivins Monday night commented, “I don’t want us to spend another $3,750 or $5,000 for them (the MDOT) to turn us down another time.”

Bittner said the city won’t spend any more money submitting a grant request except for the time Treasurer Cheri Parrish or new City Manager Tim McLean might spend logging in the information.

Antel then pledged she would inputa all the data herself free of charge.

Rose then amended the motion to re-submit the grant application only if it involves no added expense to the city.