Shelby Township

Shelby board approves funding for Hayes Road widening

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Citing traffic congestion and a deal too good to pass up, the Shelby Township Board of Trustees authorized $800,000 to widen Hayes Road, between 21 Mile and 23 Mile roads, Feb. 5.

The project will total $3.2 million, and the cost is shared between Shelby Township, Macomb Township and Macomb County.

“It’s well overdue,” Trustee Paul Viar said of the project.

According to the Macomb County Department of Roads’ 2013 schedule, the Hayes project is slated to start in June 2013 and run until September.

Along with realizing a cost savings by pooling funding with Macomb Township, which approved its share Jan. 28, and the county, Shelby could see a further reduction based on prepayment rebates from projects in 2012.

“We have some residual funds coming back from the project on Van Dyke,” Viar said, referring to the 2012 project to widen Van Dyke, between 24 Mile and 25 Mile roads. “Hopefully that will bring (the Hayes Road cost) down considerably — hopefully.”

“I had some conversations with Mr. Bob Hoepfner, the director of the (Macomb County Department of Roads), so we’ll probably know what that prepayment rebate is soon,” township Supervisor Richard Stathakis said.

The Hayes Road project is one of three major projects on Shelby Township roads for 2013.

The first of the three projects, which is the total demolition and reconstruction of Auburn Road, between Ryan and Dequindre roads, was scheduled to kick off Feb. 7 and estimated to run until mid-July.

Also on the schedule for 2013 is the widening of Van Dyke to five lanes from 25 Mile Road to 26 Mile Road, which is slated to start in May and run until October.

That project will complete the widening of Van Dyke from 23 Mile Road to Shelby Township’s northern border on 26 Mile Road.

Stathakis said that, for the past four years, the Shelby Township board has been committed to providing road upgrades whenever possible, and that the Hayes Road project is another example of that.

“Many of us have been caught up in heavy traffic along that portion of Hayes, and I’m looking forward to this project, as I am sure some of you are, as well,” Stathakis said at the Feb. 5 meeting.

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