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| Conceptual drawing of new boulevard on Ford Road. |
He added that Ford Road will be widened and that rights of way along the roads will be necessary, although he said it was too early to discuss details of those acquisitions from affected areas. Planning is about 60 percent complete, he said, and should be finished this September. He cautioned, however, that there was “no guarantee that things won't change.”
The township is paying $1 million annually on the project generated by approval of a road improvement millage by voters in 2018.
Penzenstadler cautioned that the acquisitions of rights of way can be challenging and that state engineers will attempt to minimize the need to purchase property during the ongoing design phase. He said the state would only acquire property absolutely necessary to the roadway construction. He added that bidding on the work could begin at the end of this year.
That work will include the replacement of drainage pipes along the affected route along with the replacement of existing traffic signals and sidewalks.
Prior to the onset of construction, MDOT officials will host virtual public informational meetings while a website is being developed to provide updates and detail of the project. No dates for the meetings have been finalized, Penzenstadler explained.
