Washtenaw Area Transportation Study policy committee Chairman Jim Carson and members of the committee have approved a letter of support for two planned non-motorized pathways, one in Scio Township and the other in Milan.

Scio Township has proposed a non-motorized pathway on the west side of Zeeb Road, said Township Clerk Nancy Hedberg. It will serve 1,600 residents and provide access to 2,260 jobs within a half-mile of the path.

“The traffic counts vary from 22,000 just north of I-94 to more than 12,000 south of Dexter-Ann Arbor Road,” according to the letter of support.

There are “limited gravel shoulders,” in the area, which makes it challenging for both drivers, bikers and walkers.

“We see this (pathway) as a vision over the next 20 years and would like to see this get started,” Hedberg said.

The path will provide access to three government buildings along Zeeb Road, including the Scio Township Hall.

In Milan, there is currently a “highly-used trail system that runs from the downtown to the eastern city limits,” and this proposed path would connect the far western city limit into the Washtenaw County property adjacent to the city, said Mike Armitage, secretary-treasurer of WATS and a Milan city councilman.

By completing this non-motorized project, Armitage said Milan will “address the imminent threat to Wabash Street caused by erosion on the shore of Ford Lake.”

“The proposed trail will provide significant recreational value as it traverses the city’s park system, primarily along the Saline Rover and Ford Lake,” according to the letter.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com.

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