Shelby Township

Board OKs final length of Van Dyke widening project

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Shelby Township Board of Trustees is looking down the road with its latest approval of road construction funds.

The board OK’d the use of  $568,670 to widen Van Dyke Avenue to five lanes between 25 Mile and 26 Mile roads Feb. 19 with a unanimous vote that cited future economic expansion as the impetus for such construction.

“As our economy continues to improve, it is likely development will ramp up on to 26 Mile Road,” township Supervisor Richard Stathakis said.

“It’s important to our community that the Van Dyke corridor is improved, so our residents and businesses can enjoy the benefits of improving economic conditions.”

The township and the Macomb County Department of Roads will share the cost of the $1.13 million project with a 50/50 split. Construction is on the MCDR’s 2013 schedule to start in May of 2013 and run until October.

The vote to allocate the construction money is the final board measure needed to finish the Van Dyke project, as the actions and funds necessary for engineering and planning have already been completed.

“This is actually the second portion of the project,” said Shannon Filarecki, representing township engineers Fazal Khan and Associates at the Feb. 19 board meeting. “The engineering and design has already been completed. We’re moving into the construction phase now.”

The project is the final stage of multiple stages to bring Van Dyke to five lanes throughout Shelby Township, and officials said that it isn’t likely to disrupt traffic flow as much as prior work on the southern portions of Van Dyke.

“As you come down Van Dyke, it’s not fully developed there yet, so we’re anticipating it before it gets congested,” Planning Director Glenn Wynn said.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.