Archaeologist to study ground for Belleville Road widening project

Although it was not in the original scope of services, Wade Trim is getting $75,168.11 more for the Belleville Road Widening Project design concept because different tasks have been added.
At the regular July 23 meeting of Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority, Sean Beckman explained that they now have to stake property lines, get a survey drawing and a professional surveyor for the project. Beckman is with Wade Trim.
They also want to get a federally certified archaeologist to study the ground for the Belleville Road widening between Tyler and Ecorse roads.
When DDA members asked what the archaeologist will be looking for, Beckman said he didn’t know but suggested it might be bodies.
He said this additional field investigation is a very time-consuming exercise.
“We don’t anticipate they will find anything, but there could be some excavation,” Beckman said, adding the archaeologist could take six to nine months.
DDA Executive Director Merrie Coburn said the MDOT road widening project wants to go out for bids in early spring and construction is planned for 2025.
Since not all the funding for the project has been obtained, the archaeological study would be required if federal funds were obtained for the project and they don’t want to wait until the last minute.
The total includes a final certified survey, parcel split drawing and field work, $66,596.99; right of coordination and project management, $4,316.12; and SHPO Section 106 Archaeological Desktop Review, $4,255.
The DDA voted to approve the extra funds and take it from the DDA budget line item for Engineering.
DDA chairman Craig Atchinson said the township is giving the DDA a small piece of its “Ford Land” at the northwest corner of Tyler and Belleville roads so the intersection can be better aligned for safety.
Director Coburn said once Wayne County has signed off on the revised alignment, a public engagement open house will be scheduled with the property owners and community to review and provide their input and ask questions prior to finalizing design of the project.
In other business at the 29-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Reviewed and approved the 2024 amended and proposed new 2025 budget. Revenue in 2025 is expected to be $4,059,423 and expenditures $6,667,367.37 and it will use $2.6 million from the fund balance, taking it down to $2.4 million;
• Approved sponsoring the Van Buren Township Fire Department’s Firehouse Pancake Breakfast on Oct. 12 with a $2,000 donation from DDA budget line item for Public Relations;
• Heard Coburn announce the DDA was not awarded the federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant for the Belleville Road Widening Project, but it will be reimbursed from the Michigan Infrastructure Office for the $26,000 cost to write the grant. RAISE offers a debriefing so the DDA can see where it failed. She said Supervisor McNamara wants them to resubmit an application for the grant;
• Was advised the DDA was awarded a $1.3 million reimbursement grant from SEMCOG for the Tyler Road Non-motorized Pathway. The next steps are being determined. Coburn also gave details of the Safer Streets for All project and the results, so far, of its community engagement survey;
• Heard a report on the right-of-way acquisition process now under way for the Belleville Road Widening Project. The township attorneys are working with Ron Reynolds, the attorney representing three property owners: the full-take property, the State Farm property and the Price property just north of that. There will be a small window for the eight properties not acquired to accept the township offers and then it would go to court, Coburn said; and
• Learned the DDA Mid-Week Music program was a success, the Christmas in July event was moved indoors due to rain, Houston Patton has been performing Jazz in the Park on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. at Harris Park, and the flagpole has been installed. Staff is planning to have a celebration to mark the fifth birthday of Harris Park on Aug. 27. Coburn said they are thinking of having hot dogs and DDA member Joyce Rochowiak suggested corn.
Absent from the meeting were DDA members Joe Baskin, Carol Bird, Dawn Chappell, Victor Delibera and Supervisor Kevin McNamara.