MDOT Announces Blissfield Project

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced today that the state is awarding $2,671,457 in federal Transportation Enhancement (TE) grants to fund projects in Alger, Lenawee, Muskegon, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. The grants will help to fund the construction of 7.5 miles of nonmotorized trails and a half mile of streetscape improvements. The announcement includes the long-awaited U.S. 223 corridor project in Blissfield.

"These projects will help communities from the U.P. to Detroit to invest in trails and other improvements that increase the quality of life and help attract residents and businesses to an area," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "MDOT is pleased to work with our partners to make these upgrades possible."

Under federal law, 10 percent of federal surface transportation funds are set aside for TE projects. Administered by MDOT, the grants enable communities to invest in projects such as streetscapes and nonmotorized trails. TE funds provide a maximum of 80 percent of the money required for each project, with the remainder coming from state and local government and the private sector.

MDOT, in partnership with the village of Blissfield, will streetscape US-223 from South Monroe Street to Elm Street. The project includes decorative sidewalk and lighting, benches, trash receptacles, trees, shrubs and perennial flowers. This project will be paired with an MDOT resurfacing road project scheduled for next construction season. The project cost is $839,819, including $545,882 in federal TE funds and $293,937 in local match from the village.

The village has been working on the project since 2007. Original plans had the work extending east as far as the railroad, but it has been scaled back due to dwindling tax revenues. At various points, there were doubts the project would be realized.

The work is expected to begin in 2011.