TRAVERSE CITY — Shrubs planned for some median islands the Michigan Department of Transportation is currently building on U.S. 31 will need watering, and Traverse City agreed to chip in $24,960 for an irrigation system.
City commissioners recently approved a bid for that amount from Traverse Outdoor Inc. by a 5-2 vote, with commissioners Roger Putman and Tim Werner voting against.
It’s an add-on to the nearly $1.2 million project MDOT and contractor Elmer’s Crane and Dozer have underway on Division Street, as the highway is known in Traverse City.
Richard Liptak, MDOT’s Traverse City Transportation Service Center manager, said a stretch of the road will be widened to the west to add left-turn lanes and median islands to make pedestrian crossings safer.
Those islands are getting some low-growing shrubs, city Engineer Tim Lodge said.
He pointed to some medians on another state highway — Grandview Parkway — where any vegetation there died until it was irrigated.
Spending the money on the Division Street project seemed like a waste to Werner, he said, and questioned why the city would water the median islands.
“I can think of lots of ways to spend $25,000, related to the project,” he said. “Let’s plant some nice oak trees, we’re going to have to cut down that oak tree across from 12th Street, I don’t think the public knows about that.”
Liptak after commissioners’ meeting confirmed the large oak must be removed to widen the road and build a sidewalk, adding he’s “really sad to see” it.
Two smaller trees on the road’s east side are coming down, too — sidewalks are planned for that side of the street.
The state is planning to plant several smaller trees west of the highway in the spring, Liptak said.
Commissioner Brian McGillivary said he isn’t happy about spending the money, either, and noted the city already irrigates a lot.
“It’s certainly better than dead plants where we don’t have irrigation and everything dies,” he said.
Plans on Division Street call for widening it between Griffin and 10th streets to add a left-turn lane for northbound drivers at 11th Street, and the same for southbound drivers at 12th and 13th streets, as previously reported.
Work started Tuesday and should wrap by Oct. 31, with one lane in either direction to remain open.
Liptak said work was going well as of Thursday except for drivers turning left at intersections where it’s not allowed. That’s been exacerbating traffic issues there, he said.
The Link LonkSeptember 14, 2020 at 02:00AM
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