By Doug Marrin, STN Reporter
At its June 21, 2021, meeting, the Chelsea City Council approved a maintenance agreement with Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation (WCPARC) for a segment of the Border-to-Border Trail that will be constructed in the City.
City Manager Hanifan reported that the City portion of the B2B trail is also “a critical segment of our own Letts Creek Linear Park.” It is a component of a larger B2B construction project that will extend the trail from Werkner Rd. into Chelsea.
“It is a pretty standard agreement,” explained Mr. Hanifan. “We do have maintenance responsibilities that we would assume.”
Once constructed, the eight-foot-wide path will have a foot of shoulder on both sides, and the City will be responsible for keeping it clear. The B2B Trail is maintained by WCPARC and not open in the winter. However, local municipalities such as Chelsea can clear their portion of the path if they so choose.
The City is putting up $100,000 for the trail, which created a 2-1 matching grant from the Connecting Community Funds for $200,000. WCPARC and Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative are funding the remainder of the $1.1 million project. Once completed, the City of Chelsea will assume ownership for the portion within the city limits.
In an email, WCPARC Park Planner Peter Sanderson stated that bids for the construction were released this week. “We anticipate work to begin this summer and finish up next year,” he said. “The part within the Chelsea city limits is intended to be the first part constructed.”
Feature photo courtesy of WCPARC