Editorial: It’s finally time to pave McBride Ave.

A very happy Van Buren Township Trustee Sherry Frazier made the motion at Tuesday’s VBT meeting to accept the low bid of Florence Cement to put asphalt on McBride Avenue as soon as possible this spring.
There are an estimated 52 working days for the project so the roadway should be done by the time fall classes start at McBride Middle School.
You may recall that Frazier had been elected to both the school board and the VBT board of trustees. About a year ago, the school superintendent was convinced by school attorneys that Frazier couldn’t vote on the school district’s agreement with the township on the road paving without creating a huge legal problem for the school.
Frazier resigned from the school board last May to assure McBride could be paved. VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara came to the school board meeting when Frazier resigned and walked her out of the meeting room on his arm. It was a classy moment.
There were many bumps in the road, but the project now is ready to go as soon as paperwork is done, the weather clears up and the asphalt plant opens.
The low bid cut the special assessment district costs for McBride property owners from $600 a year for five years, to $210 a year for five years, if all goes well.
That means there’s money left over in the county grant, so three or four subdivisions can get their small projects done, as well. Moving forward in VBT!