Ypsilanti will consider approving a $31,500 purchase of access easement with the Fischer Honda dealership to construct a pedestrian bridge.
Ypsilanti will consider approving a purchase of access easement from the Honda Fischer dealership at 15 E. Michigan Ave.
Courtesy city of Ypsilanti
The easement will allow the city access to a piece of the dealership's property.
The city would like for the bridge to cross from Riverside Park to a corner of the Fischer Honda dealership parcel on the east side of the Huron River.
Ypsilanti received a $289,400 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant in 2011 to construct the pedestrian bridge as part of the larger Border to Border trail project.
The original plan was to construct a bridge for the Border to Border Trail that would cross the Huron River under Michigan Avenue.
After the grant award was received, a hydraulic review was submitted to the Michigan Department of Transportation, that determined the bridge would cause a serious scour problem. That design was deemed not feasible and an alternate location for the bridge has been proposed, which would construct it perpendicular and to the north of the bridge on Michigan Avenue.
The city is working with the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation on this project, as well as the proposed $12 million Eastside Recreation Center.
Bob Tetens, director of the WCPRC, initiated conversations with the owner of Fischer Honda, Rick Fischer, who expressed interest in providing a portion of his property for the bridge construction. The dealership is at 15 E. Michigan Ave.
A formal appraisal was completed by the Burgoyne Appraisal Company, valuing the area of the permanent easement at $28,000. The owner agreed to the price in addition to the cost of the $3,500 appraisal.
The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission met on Tuesday, March 12 and approved the funding in the amount of $31,500 to cover the costs.
The easement would be held by the city.
In the non-motorized plan, Ypsilanti indicated a need to link Riverside Park with the Water Street redevelopment area.
Tetens wrote in a letter to the recreation commission that the location will bring patrons from the Riverside Park across the Huron River, allowing them to safely cross Michigan Avenue above ground, via a crosswalk.
“This easement will serve as a landing for the new bridge and a front door for both Riverside Park and the Water Street development, which will be visible from Michigan Avenue,” Tetens wrote.
The city also received word last year that it will receive a $300,000 grant for the Ypsilanti Border to Border trail project.
The pedestrian bridge project construction will likely begin sometime this year, but the Water Street portion might not be started until the spring or summer of 2014. Ideally, the city would like to construct the two projects together, but City Planner Teresa Gillotti previously said the city doesn't want to move forward until the funding is received.
The Ypsilanti City Council will consider the agreement at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.