Chelsea Approves Deal for Next Segment of B2B

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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 new segment of B2B Trail is approximately 1.5 miles in length, running from Veterans Park, through Timbertown Park, across Sibley Rd. onto the Water Treatment Plant property, and then heading north on the west side of M-52 to Werkner Rd. Image courtesy of City of Chelsea.

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.”

When completed, the Border-to-Border Trail will provide a contiguous non-motorized pathway across Washtenaw County. As shown here, the B2B will create a 40-mile loop connecting Chelsea, Dexter, Pinckney, and Stockbridge. Image courtesy of WCPARC.

Feature photo courtesy of WCPARC

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