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Posted: 06/27/12

RISKY ROADS. Above, the eastern shoulder of old Van Dyke serves as a potentially dangerous walkway for pedestrians. Bruce Township officials are considering a $135,000 project that would build a paved, fenced path from Kaeding to 33 Mile Road so residents can traverse the thoroughfare safely.

(Observer photo by Chris Gray)

Bruce trustees mull
over Van Dyke pathway

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      Bruce officials are investigating how to afford installing a paved path on old Van Dyke to provide safe passage for non-motorists.
       The Board of Trustees is considering the creation of an asphalt sidewalk on the east side of Van Dyke for a total cost of $134,378.
       Trustees, however, must first figure out how to pay for the project.
       At the July 20 regular meeting, the board examined an estimate from Giffels-Webster that would build a shared use path from Kaeding to 33 Mile Road on Van Dyke. Officials said the path couldn't go further south because there is no easement in that area.
       Supervisor Jim Tignanelli said having a walkway out there would be better than not having one, as people currently walk along the shoulder.
       "Where you become liable is when you put the road in and say it's OK to walk here," he said. "Right now it's sort of every man for themselves."
       According to the conceptual sketch, a wooden fence would stand between the sidewalk and the road while eight bollards would protect the path from vehicles.
       Tignanelli said the other side of the road was less suitable for a sidewalk because of berms and large trees.
       Including signage, the estimated total was at $134,378. Trustee Paul Okoniewski suggested removing the 42-inch tall wooden fence to shave $42,450 from the price tag.
       "It's a bit of an overkill, I think, on the design," Okoniewski said. "Nowhere do you see a wooden fence along the sidewalk."
       He suggested reducing the number of bollards to two to save $3,000 as well.
       Tignanelli said the fence may not be cosmetically appealing, but it would indicate where the sidewalk was so people don't drive on it if they pull over or make a u-turn.
       He said a guard rail in place of the fence was not desirable since people could fall over a rail.
       "It's a place where sidewalks were never thought of, and we're thinking of it, but we can't change everything to put it in there," he said.
       Clerk Susan Brockmann said the township was considering the pursuit of grants in order to pay for it.
       "Even if we got this down to $90,000 with some of the changes that (Okoniewski) suggested, we don't have the money to buy this," she said.
       Tignanelli said the township can use the original estimate as a base for finding those grant dollars.
       "I guess before we argue whether it's safe with or without some of these things, I think we need to figure out how we can pay for it," he said.