WHEREAS, Non-motorized improvements have ranked as one of the top priorities for Pittsfield Township residents in multitude of surveys, planning forums, design charrettes, and other public engagement platforms we have undertaken since 2009; and

WHEREAS, This has resulted in the aggressive pursuit and receipt, since 2009, of nearly $10 million in grant funds by the Supervisor’s Office for the design and installation of greenways, sidewalks, bike paths, and mid-block/pedestrian crossings; and

WHEREAS, The Supervisor’s Office has worked very hard over the past decade to outline a vision for the State Street corridor that traverses through Pittsfield’s main business district through such initiatives as receipt of federal funds to complete an environmental assessment, establishment of a Corridor Improvement Authority, and an investment of $1 million in 2020 to improve both the road surface condition and cross-section of this corridor; and

WHEREAS, The lack of federal funds continues to preclude comprehensive infrastructure improvements and design complications, among other things, precluded installation of non-motorized amenities on the north end of the corridor, per Board discussion the Township is submitting for grant funding to install a ten (10) foot wide paved pathway on State Street between Morgan Road and Textile Road along with green infrastructure installations in the existing ditches along State Street; and

WHEREAS, The proposed project will enhance pedestrian, transit, and biking amenities while also improving water quality of the stormwater along State Street in addition to linking up with existing greenway infrastructure (Platt-Textile Greenway and Lohr-Textile Greenway); and

WHEREAS, We are in the process of submitting applications for grant funding for the proposed project to the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) through Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)/Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT);