Huron River Drive Repaving Project
Get the very latest news at the official project web site: http://www.greenviewdata.com/community_projects.php
Final donation deadline extended to Aug 20
As of August 13th, the project has raised $42,940 - exceeding the original goal and even the second goal to repave two additional sections of Huron River Drive. Additional donations now will repave more of the road west of Zeeb.
Update from Dan Marcin
Posted Tue 8/3/10: "I met with Fred Veigel of the Road Commission about an hour ago and asked him about HRD. He said that at the WCRC meeting on Thursday, they will vote on the motion regarding HRD. He showed me the minutes and meeting packet, and told me that the meeting is at 1 PM this Thursday at 555 N. Zeeb. It is open to the public, and you can actually see the packet and minutes here: http://www.wcroads.org/aboutus/theboard/meetings.htm. The page numbering can be confusing, but you can find the language of the HRD proposal on PDF page 16. There is time at the meeting for public comment if anybody wants to go. Disclaimer: I did not meet with Fred as a representative of AABTS; I just see him monthly at the local labor council and brought it up after the meeting."
More good news!
From: Don Broadway (AABTS Board of Directors Chairman) and Ted Green
RE: Huron River Drive repaving status
Dear AABTS members:
The good news about Huron River Drive repaving keeps getting better.
In conjunction with the AABTS, member Ted Green's fund raising project has exceeded the original goal of $30,000 in donations to get the Tubbs to Wagner sections repaved. It was also featured on page one of the AnnArbor.com newspaper on July 15, 2010.
In case you missed earlier news, several significant portions of Huron River Drive will be repaved in the next few months, funded by a Federal grant that the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) applied for nearly two years ago. With the success of the private donations, the exceptionally bad Tubbs to North Maple section will also be repaved, and if donations continue, all the bad sections will be repaved.
Here is Ted's update on the project. More info is also available on the web at:
http://www.greenviewdata.com/community_projects.php
First of all, I would like to thank the donors for their generous contributions. Over $38,000 has been raised so far, exceeding our original $30,000 goal and allowing us to expand the project. With a new goal of $43,000, we will be able to repave two additional bad sections of Huron River Drive, which will cover all the very bad sections of road. Donations past $43,000 will increase how much is repaved west of Zeeb.
Instead of rehashing the basics which are on the website, let me give you more details.
Once we knew that the original $30,000 goal to repave Tubbs to Wagner had been reached, the WCRC chief engineer (Roy Townsend) and I drove most of HRD to identify additional bad sections not yet included in the repaving projects. We identified, measured and marked two - the 750ft section between North Maple and Foster, and a 350ft section west of Zeeb, just east of the recently repaved section on the hill. If you bike/drive the road, you can see the white marking lines. We determined that with some money left over from the original $90,000 ($30,000 donated and $60,000 matched by WCRC), it would cost an additional $13,000 to repave these two terrible sections.
I also learned that due to a grant from the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation department, the main Tubbs to Zeeb section will have wider pavement to include a 2-3 foot bike lane in each direction. Some flooding and narrow pavement problems near the Delhi bridge will also be fixed. Unfortunately the Wagner to N Maple section will not have bike lanes because the road foundation is too narrow near the river.
The WCRC is doing all it can to get bike lanes included in the Tubbs to Wagner section, but due to the short time frame, it likely won't happen this year.
The Tubbs to Zeeb and Wagner to N Maple sections (funded by Federal
grants) are being repaved with just a 2 inch layer of blacktop. The sections our donations are funding will first be milled to remove several inches of pavement, then a 2 inch base will be added and finally a 2 inch layer of blacktop. It is expected that these sections will last 10 - 12 years before they deteriorate to "fair" condition.
When the repaving is completed, tentatively end of August, only a few stretches will not be new. This includes a not-too-bad stretch from the Barton Dam parking lot to Foster. Half of that stretch is in the city of Ann Arbor and we don't know its repaving plans. The other half, also not-too-bad, is in Ann Arbor Township and we are working on getting that repaved next year. Last, most of Zeeb to Dexter will not be new, but the worst section will be repaved if we reach $43,000.
The WCRC has agreed to put up signs on HRD thanking us, something to the effect of "Repaving partially paid by donations from bicyclists and the AABTS".
As of today, we are still a few thousand dollars short of our new $43,000 goal and I would therefore like to ask for your donation. At this point, even modest donations are useful as we are so close to our goal. And if we exceed $43,000 we will repave more of HRD west of Zeeb. We might even be able to extend it to connect to the recently repaved hill section.
Thank you. We look forward to your donation and resulting better road!
- Please make the check out to: Washtenaw County Road Commission
- Send it to: AABTS, Attn: HRD Repaving, PO Box 1585, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
- AABTS members: Please write "AABTS member" on lower left, as we are tracking them
- Please send it by: July 31, 2010
Remember, your check will only be cashed if it goes toward repaving HRD this year; otherwise it will be returned to you.
Please email me at ted@greenviewdata.com if you have any questions.
Sincerely, Ted Green.
UPDATE from Ted Green
As of July 18th, we have raised $34,000 and exceeding our original goal! Therefore our new additional project is the terrible stretch between N Maple and Foster and our total goal is $43,000.
Our Original Goal has been reached! We have been given a figure of $90,000 to grind and repave the terrible 0.75 mile section from Tubbs to Wagner. Since the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) has been very supportive and found ways/sources to DOUBLE match our donations, we only needed to raise $30,000 in private donations repave this section. We have raised the money and this section will be milled and repaved, tentatively by late August.
Thank you everyone!
Our New Additional Goal: Due to your generous donations, we have expanded our project to include the short but terrible section between North Maple and Foster. While not yet confirmed, I estimate a total cost of $13,000 to mill and repave this 500ft section. One AABTS member mentioned that he has had two flats in just that section! It is also extremely dangerous. It is not yet clear if any matching funds will be available on such short notice, but if we can raise the $13,000, it will also be included in the repaving this year. Therefore, our new total goal is $43,000 and we are almost there!
More Great News
- We have reached and exceeded our original goal of $30,000, which will be DOUBLE matched by the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) for the $90,000 needed to mill and repave the 0.75 miles between Tubbs and Wagner! Thank you!
- We now have the new goal of raising an additional $13,000 to repave the terrible section between North Maple and Foster. Therefore our total goal is now $43,000 and we are almost there.
- Donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE on your federal taxes (if you itemize deductions) as checks will be made out to "Washtenaw County Road Commission".
Already Raised: $33,100 (110% of original goal, 77% of new goal) as of July 15, 2010:
- Ted Green donated the first $2,000.
- AABTS member Virginia (Jenny) Young generously matched Ted's $2,000 donation, partly to get the project going, but also to challenge other AABTS members to pitch in.
- Other AABTS members have donated $5,935
- The AABTS has matched $5,000
- Non-AABTS members have donated $17,165
- The Ann Arbor Velo Club has donated $1000
Original Message
From: Don Broadway (AABTS Board of Directors Chairman) and Ted Green,
Dear AABTS members:
We have exciting news that a significant portion of Huron River Drive will
be repaved in the next few months, funded by a Federal grant that the
Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) applied for nearly two years ago.
However the particularly bad section from Tubbs (over the bridge and
railroad tracks) to Wagner was ineligible for the grant. Long time AABTS
member Ted Green is leading a project to seek private donations from
bicyclists and runners to also repave this bad section. The AABTS fully
supports this project and is providing matching funds and other incentives.
We hope that you too will make a donation to make this project a reality.
Here is Ted's description of the details, which are also available on the
web at:
http://www.greenviewdata.com/community_projects.php
Background: The Washtenaw County Road Commission has received federal funds
to repave Huron River Drive from Tubbs to Zeeb, and from Wagner to North
Maple, which is great and exciting news for all bicyclists and runners. The
repaving is scheduled for this August. Unfortunately, the section between
Tubbs and Wagner was deemed to be in too poor condition for simple repaving
and therefore ineligible for these federal funds. (Yes, the logic eludes me
too.) Therefore, I (and my wife Debbie) have been working on a project of
raising private donations to get this terrible and very unsafe section
repaved too.
While the main goal of this project is to extend the paving east from Tubbs
to the bridge and hopefully all the way to Wagner, I will also ask that a
short stretch west of Zeeb be repaved; I am sure you have all "hit" it.
Back to Tubbs to Wagner. I have been given a figure of $90,000 ($90K) to
grind and repave this section. (It might be a bit more.) This might sound
like an awful lot to raise, but here is the good news:
- The Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) has found ways/sources to DOUBLE match our donations! Therefore, we only need to raise $30K.
- The AABTS will match donations of its members (up to a total of $5000). Therefore, if you are an AABTS member, your $100 donation will be doubled to $200 by the club and then tripled to $600 by the WCRC!
- Donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE on your federal taxes (you probably need to itemize deductions) as checks will be made out to "Washtenaw County Road Commission".
- I have donated $2000. Virginia (Jenny) Young decided to match my donation, partly to get the project going, but also to challenge other AABTS members to really pitch in.
- The Ann Arbor Velo Club has pledged $1000.
- With approximately $9000 already donated or pledged, we are already well on our way, with enough money to repave at least a few bad stretches.
I have hired my Public Relations agency to get articles into local news with the theme of "Bicyclists donate money to help repave roads". The WCRC has agreed to put up road signs thanking our donations.
While all donations large and small are welcome, my suggested donation for bicyclists that ride on Huron River Drive is between $50 and $250. For the price of a new $50 freewheel, you can have a nicer and safer road to ride on. A $250 donation (perhaps $175 after taxes) with the matching funds will pay for 10 feet of repaved road!
I would like to emphasize that these donations are critical to getting Tubbs to Wagner repaved. Without them, there is no possibility of it being repaired this year or NEXT year. While matching funds are available, these funds were budgeted to "match private donations" and are otherwise not available. Such donations are quite rare and while road repair money is almost non-existent, "The system" stipulates that our donations be matched. Lets take advantage of it.
Thank you. We look forward to your donation and resulting better road!
- Make the check out to: Washtenaw County Road Commission.
- Send it to: AABTS, Attn: HRD Repaving, PO Box 1585, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
- AABTS members: Please write "AABTS member" on lower left so that your donation is matched. As of July 18, AABTS has reached its maximum matching donation contribution. Thanks to the generous donations of our club members!
- Please send it by: July 31, 2010. If possible by July 15 so that we can finalize things with the WCRC.
- Remember, your check will only be cashed if the repaving project goes through; otherwise it will be returned to you.
Ann Arbor News Story
The front page story in the Thursday, July 16, edition of AnnArbor.com also featured the efforts by many to get Huron River Drive repaved. Click on the link below to read the story with photo and comments:
http://www.annarbor.com/news/don-broadway-compared-cycling-the/.
Return to home page.