Ann Arbor-Saline Road resurfacing project will move ahead in 2013 after winning $373K state grant
A total of $372,960 in state grant funding is being awarded for the resurfacing of a crumbling section of Ann Arbor-Saline Road near Interstate 94.
The portion of roadway local officials hope to see resurfaced next year extends from Eisenhower Parkway to roughly 1,000 feet south of the highway.
The city of Ann Arbor — along with the Washtenaw County Road Commission and Michigan Department of Transportation — began planning the multi-jurisdictional project last year.
The Road Commission has been leading the process and applied for funding from the state's Transportation Economic Development Fund.
In a news release announcing the TEDF grant award this week, MDOT said $372,960 in state funding will be going toward what it characterized as a $674,600 project. But officials from the city and the Road Commission say the project is going to cost more than that.
Homayoon Pirooz
Depending on the actual construction bid prices, the city's share might be about $200,000 and the Road Commission's share might be about $250,000, Pirooz said.
The Road Commission likely will lead the construction effort and will probably have better estimates later in the year, Pirooz said.
Typical road resurfacing projects begin in May. If all goes well, May 2013 would be a reasonable start date, Pirooz said.
State Rep. Rick Olson, R-York Township, celebrated the funding announcement this week and reiterated he'll be sponsoring legislation to raise new revenue for roads in Michigan.
"It is great news to hear that our county will be getting a bit of extra funds to improve our roads," Olson said. "Meanwhile, we will be working on getting in place a more permanent flow of funds with the 13-bill package of bills which will be introduced this week designed to generate a total of $1.4 billion more road and bridge funding statewide."
According to the MDOT announcement, the Road Commission and the city of Ann Arbor will resurface Ann Arbor-Saline Road from 345 feet north of Oak Valley Drive to Eisenhower Parkway, which it called an "important commercial corridor."
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Dave
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
Such a nice section of road to get on when you first get to Ann Arbor...really ties in well with the homeless guys begging at the end of the ramp drinking Starbucks, smoking and talking on a cell phone.
Jaime
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 2:15 p.m.
It still amazes me that this wasn't included with the work they did several years ago. Its about time.
leaguebus
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 10:19 p.m.
Maybe thats why all the auto companies are building test facilities here? They don't have to drive very far to thoroughly test the suspensions.
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 10:04 p.m.
That's Ann Arbor for you. Repairing a section of road five years after it's completely a mess. More brilliant service from a City with 'other priorities'.
Hunterjim
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 9:10 p.m.
Any bets they wait until football season?
sellers
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 1:28 p.m.
I bet that U-M will not be playing football come May 2013.
81wolverine
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.
2013??? This project needed to be done 5 years ago. Today, it's just awful and an embarassment to the city given that it's often the first stretch of Ann Arbor road out-of-towners experience when they arrive. What I don't understand is why they didn't fix this section when they were going all that work on that same bridge not many years ago.
Chris
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:08 p.m.
$ 372,960 to resurface 1 mile of road? really???
sellers
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 1:28 p.m.
It's a bridge, and it will have to be milled down to the concrete (speculation) layer below and have curb and possible drainage repairs. Bridges are always more expensive. :(
local
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
2013 is still a long ways off and if you have to drive this everyday, it won't last. This stretch of road is one of the worst in the area and it has a high traffic volume. This project needs to happen sooner then later. Maybe they need to wait for funding, or maybe they are waiting till Stadium road bridge is complete.
manbearpig
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:29 p.m.
Im no structural engineer, but with the state that bridge is in i am surprised that all they have to do (or decided to do) was resurface it . . .
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
2013? Really? I guess no one planning this project has driven recently on this section of road. Good Night and Good Luck
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 5:02 p.m.
Baloney. When Clark Road was crumbling a number of years ago, WCC, A2 Township, and the County Road Commission got together, figured out how to pay for it, and the section from Hogback to Golfside was repaved in a matter of weeks. That section of road is far less important than is the portion of A2-Saline Road on either side of the I94 Bridge. The delays regarding this project are about politics and process--little else. GN&GL
sellers
Thu, Jan 26, 2012 : 1:27 p.m.
The timing it will take to get the total funding and planning, it would be tough to have it done by Nov 2012.
fjord
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:10 p.m.
Better late than never, I suppose.