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Council discusses road conditions, parks, bike paths

April 28, 2009

The possibility of future improvements to Michigan Avenue became more realistic Tuesday as the East Lansing City Council set a June 2 public hearing date to consider creating a group that would assess the road.

The Corridor Improvement Authority would work in conjunction with the City of Lansing and the Lansing Charter Township to improve conditions along Michigan Avenue.

“Creation of the authority will be a first step in coming up with a development plan, which is really just a way to plan for improvements from that area,” said Lori Mullins, senior project manager for East Lansing.

An exploratory committee has been formed to draft a conceptual plan for enhancements to the corridor. The authority would oversee improvements to signs, sidewalks and other development plans.

Lansing already has held a public hearing, while Lansing Township also is in the process of examining the matter.

“Michigan Avenue directly connects two downtowns, and it involves major corridor improvements for the two downtowns, so it really demands that all the communities take place in this,” Councilmember Kevin Beard said.

Parks and recreation

In other business, the council discussed the parks and recreation portion of the city’s proposed 2009-10 fiscal year budget. The city expects about $1.1 million in revenue through parks and recreation next year.

Although the city will increase its budget for parks and recreation from the previous year, most of the increase is due to about $900,000 in grants it has received from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.

The city will use the grants to make improvements to White Park, create a public park in the Hawk Nest Neighborhood, and work on two land acquisition projects.

The grants cover most or all of the cost of those projects.

The White Park project includes the addition of a nature trail, pond observation deck, baseball field renovation and a small picnic pavilion area at the park located near Lake Lansing Road and Pebblebrook Lane.

Saginaw Street bike path

The council also approved the continuation of plans to create a bike path on both sides of Saginaw Street between Harrison Road and Stonegate Lane.

The concrete pathway will be 8-feet wide and allow for bikers, pedestrians, roller skaters and all other forms of nonmotorized transportation.

The city still needs to finish acquiring property by June to begin construction on the project, but it appears likely the land will be acquired, Councilmember Roger Peters said.

“The city’s really interested in promoting a walkable community and a non-motorized community, and it would be a big advantage to provide a means for safe pedestrian traffic,” Peters said.

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