VBT accepts $30,000 grant for Iron Belle Trail through township

The Iron Belle hiking and biking trail that runs from Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula will be running through Van Buren Township between the Lower Huron Metro Park and Edgemont Street in the city of Belleville.
At Tuesday’s regular meeting the VBT board of trustees voted 6-1 to approve the agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to accept the $30,000 offered, which will be paid to contractor PEA Inc. to figure out and secure the exact route. PEA is the contractor used throughout the state for the trail.
Another $10,000 in matching services by the township is required.
The 2.5-mile segment is expected to be eventually joined with another segment on the west side of the city of Belleville to continue the route through VBT to hook up with the trail already in Ypsilanti Township.
A report from VBT Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Wright during Monday’s work/study session said the first segment will start at Lower Huron Metro Park and follow East Huron River Drive, Edison Lake Road, and Haggerty Road. A Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing is required on Haggerty Road.
Preliminary planning suggests that about five easements over private properties will be necessary to complete the project, she said.
The Iron Belle Trail is listed in the Capital Improvement Plan of the VBT Parks and Recreation Master Plan and an online survey found that 98 people checked that walking/biking trails were important to them, Wright said.
Jennifer Zaenglein, deputy director of Parks and Recreation, said the DNR came to VBT and asked them to join in since VBT was the missing link in the trail.
“We lobbied hard on it,” said Supervisor Kevin McNamara, noting Gov. Rick Snyder will be leaving office because of term limits and it is his initiative. “We want to have the west link set up before he leaves.”
“This is worrisome to me,” said Trustee Sherry Frazier, voicing concerns that the township will end up without the money to finish the trail to the west.
Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, said PEA will identify where the trail will go and will look at properties where easements are needed and talk with property owners.
Akers said they will figure out how they get from one spot to the other. He said the trail will be 10’ wide pavement with 2’ on either side for drainage. It will be for hiking, biking, and walking.
“I’m not confident we’ll get more money after Gov. Snyder leaves,” Supervisor McNamara said, estimating it would take two to three years from now for it to be constructed because rights of way take so long.
The $30,000 is not for construction.
“Hopefully the homeowners won’t mind having a trail in front of their homes,” Trustee Frazier said.
Frazier cast the only no vote against the project.