Border To Border Ypsilanti Completion - Ypsi City Council Agenda Item - 7/21 - Support Needed

[Bob Krzewinski]

On Tuesday, July 21st, 7pm, at the Ypsilanti City Hall (corner of Michigan and Huron), the Ypsi City Council will have on their agenda a resolution that helps solidify the Border To Border trail location from Riverside Park, south to I-94. The full resolution is below, with it's main purpose being to guarantee that the City of Ypsilanti is committed to this trail in that area (also know as the "Water Street development area"), no matter what developers want to do there. After the resolution is (hopefully) passed, it would then go to the actual Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commissioners asking them for financial assistance for engineering study, the first step in completing the Border To Border trail in that area. Part of the engineering study would also include determining how to route the trail from Riverside Park to the Water Street area, hopefully with a bridge under the Michigan Avenue bridge over the Huron River.

 

Where you can help out would be to plan to attend the July 21st City Council meeting and in the public participation session at the beginning of the meeting, giving a short (1-2 minute) statement in support of the Border To Border trail completion through Ypsilanti. Even if you don't live in Ypsilanti, if you use the Border To Border trail, you can still give input, perhaps including the comment that you would visit Ypsi more, and patronize it's businesses, if the trail was completed through the City.

 

If you are planning on attending the City Council meeting, if you could let me know so I have some idea of how many people will be attending, it would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for considering going to this Ypsilanti City Council meeting as this resolution is an important step in having the Border To Border trail completed on the east side of the County. 

 

Bob Krzewinski

 

 

RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YPSILANTI:

 

WHEREAS, a major goal of the Water Street area redevelopment is to increase public access to and enjoyment of the Huron River;

 

WHEREAS, the riverfront trail within the Water Street area will be an amenity for the entire community as well as an asset to the future residents and businesses within Water Street;

 

WHEREAS, this trail will be an important link in the Washtenaw County Border to Border Trail initiative, completing a major gap in the eastern portion of the County; and,

 

WHEREAS, the City wishes to be prepared for future funding or project partnership opportunities;

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Ypsilanti reaffirms its commitment to develop a public trail on the river edge of the Water Street property, in coordination with the development of the site as a whole; and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City requests the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission assist in making this project more “shovel-ready” by providing a feasibility study and design assistance for the crossing of the Huron River from Riverside Park into the Water Street site, including consideration of options both over and under Michigan Avenue.

[Ypsilanti Bicycling Coalition]

Thanks Bob! I hope to see some Bike Ypsi'ers at the City Council Meeting.
Kristen

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Bike Ypsi
www.bikeypsi.org