The Year of Projects in county
It was a year of construction unlike any seen for many years in Presque Isle County. An airport was rebuilt, a major traffic artery was resurfaced, non-motorized trails were paved, the first valves from a new water system opened up, and seniors in one community found themselves with a little more elbow room. Busy, yes. Sometimes inconvenient, a little. Fruitful for the future of Presque Isle County? that?s what every optimistic-minded person in the area is hoping.
County officials, as well as dignitaries from the Michigan Department of Transportation, will unreel several yards of ribbon for post-project celebrations in three locations tomorrow. The events will include Michigan Department of Transportation director Gloria Jeff. The ?Multi-Modal Transportation? event, as it?s being dubbed, will be from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. with the first ribbon cut at the Presque Isle County airport at 10:15 a.m.
At 10:30 a.m. a ribbon will be cut for Council on Aging transit buses. Officials then will board the vehicles and travel for another ribbon cutting ceremony at the Trout River bridge to commemorate the reconstruction of the bridge and a smoother, wider US-23. From the bridge, officials will walk to the new trail entrance at Seagull Point Park on Forest Avenue, just east of US-23. The trail extension from Forest Avenue and Hoeft State Park and a symbolic ribbon cutting for the Presque Isle Township safety trail extension will take place at 11:15 a.m. And last on the itinerary will be lunch at the expanded Rogers City Area Senior Center, where a new kitchen facility has been installed. Remarkably, these weren?t the only projects this year, but were some of the biggest.
US-23
After MDOT spent several years planning the $5.5 million project, ?orange barrel season? was delayed somewhat by one of the strongest late-season snowstorms in recent history, but the 9.8 miles of reconstruction work that had been planned for more than five years continued on. Crews worked first at the Trout River bridge and continued along Bradley Highway toward the airport. Within the city limits of Rogers City, following the facelift, there was new curb and gutter in front of businesses. MDOT also added a middle turn lane, which is relieving congestion and making the stretch of road safer.
Contractors worked toward smoothing out the rough spots before Nautical Festival, and easily reached that goal, then continued with the project from the M-65/US-23 intersection back to Rogers City. For many Rogers Cityans who work or go to school in Alpena, it meant long detours and extra traveling time. The completion date was October 24, but some work will be finalized next year, according to Tom Hilberg, MDOT resident engineer from the regional office in Alpena. A top coat of asphalt will be paved in 2004, mainly south of Rogers City, after some drainage problems are corrected.
Presque Isle Airport
The newly organized County Development Commission helped obtain and administer $2.5 million in federal and state grants for airport improvement planning at Onaway and Rogers City a few years ago. A major portion of those funds went toward complete reconstruction and expansion of the Rogers City airfield, including a new 4,105-foot runway, taxiways, apron, lighting, hangar and electronics, and a weather station.
The airport project pushed forward in 1998 at the insistence of one-term county commissioner Gary Nowak. His persistence, coupled with Mary Ann Heidemann?s knowledge and experience, moved the project along in record time. While officials were hoping for the improvements for the 2002 construction season, the project was delayed until this year, and finally got underway when the federal and state dollars became available in June. The runway was closed June 9 and the 90-day project was begun soon afterward.
In assessing the improvements, URS engineer Alex Drouin said nothing was left from the old airport, and proclaimed it as a ?destination airport. It?s going to make Rogers City accessible by any means.? The airport can now handle larger aircraft. The runway project may be completed, but more trees to the west of the property need to be cleared in the approach.
Trail extensions
MDOT officials are pleased with the way the 3.16-mile trail extension from Forest Avenue to Hoeft State Park turned out. The extension starts at Forest Avenue and travels through a wooded area, which was cleared by Rogers City crews from the Department of Public Works, to Shore Road. >From Shore Road the trail picks up again at the beach area north of Rogers City. In 2001, during the planning phase of the project, residents of Shore Road wanted to ensure all possible trail routes were explored, with some believing the best location for the trail would be Birchwood Drive. Construction of the trail was delayed for a year when it was learned the north beach area, near Hoeft State Park, was a designated habitat for the endangered piping plover. Clearance for the project from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was given last year. Bids finally were accepted in January, and then-city manager Rob Fairbanks said crews might not start working on the trail until late in the summer, which is what happened with the $317,000 project.
A safety trail along East Grand Lake Road consists of six-foot wide paved shoulders on each side of the road between the Kauffman Homestead and the community center on Whiskey Point Road. Funding was approved from the MDOT Enhancement Act to fund $131,029 of the $218,390 project cost and was submitted by the Presque Isle County Road Commission. The new pathway, which is two-and-a-half miles, traverses a section beginning at the historical marker of Kauffman Homestead and community park, past the post office, grocery store, a bed and breakfast, library, fire station and four resorts.
Posen water
After six years of working through the process involved in obtaining a municipal water system, the Posen Village Council was officially guaranteed a loan of $483,000 and a grant of $984,000 from the United States Department of Rural Development. The announcement came out in early 2001. The funds would be used to dig a new well, construct a new well house, an elevated storage tank, and install 13,500 feet of water line, including hydrants and water meters. The 123 homes and businesses in the village relied on private wells, many of which were in danger of contamination, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
The conversion from wells to the water system is ongoing for village residents who have until May 27, 2004 to take advantage of cost saving measures instituted by council. It?s been rough at times with broken sidewalks and a sometimes bumpy Michigan Avenue, but the system became operational September 1. The water tower went up in the summer.
Seniors have room to serve
When the Rogers City Area Seniors started to serve meals at their facility on Superior Street, thy totalled a little under 400 a month. Compare that to the 57 dinners served Monday evening and the 900 plates of food per month they are at now, and the new kitchen equipment is proving its worth.
It?ll be used Friday when MDOT officials visit. ?Evelina?s Kitchen,? named for the late Evelina Wisniewski who was involved in the original development of the Rogers City senior complex, has everything needed to serve more th
Industrial park parcels
Except for all the rock that was unearthed from the site, this project is hard not to like. It came in 26 percent below engineer estimates, the cost is coming from grant funding, and it could spur economic growth. Industrial lots, with water and sewer, will be located on the southern edge of the airport in Rogers City, and be available along a Class A road. City officials hope that with the lots being located in a Renaissance Zone, companies will form a line at the end of Airport Road and US-23.
A certain number of jobs have to be created in the next couple of years or the city will have to find a way to repay some of the cost of the project to the Economic Development Administration. Some of the rock excavation was a bit more difficult than was expected, but the project should be completed early next spring. And there are other projects: the sewer system work in Onaway, reconfiguration of Gilpin Memorial Field, Calcite Road paving, and the front parking lot was redesigned in front of Rogers City Elementary School. It was a lot of positive work in the area, and one that will hopefully pay off in the near future.