June 20, 2008 -- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the state is awarding $1.285 million in Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding to enhance the Main Street I-94 Business Loop in downtown Benton Harbor. The grant is being used to bring a number of aesthetic improvements to the area, including better sidewalks and lighting, street trees, new benches and trash receptacles.
"We want to provide Benton Harbor, one of our Cities of Promise, with the tools they need to attract new jobs here and encourage families to anchor here," Granholm said. "These improvements are another significant step as we work to help revitalize Benton Harbor and make it a wonderful place to live, learn and earn."
The streetscape project will be paired with a more than $12 million Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) road construction project to rebuild 1.7 miles of Main Street from east of the Bicentennial Bridge to M-139 (North Fair Avenue). The project will include new roundabouts at 5th Street and Riverview Drive, modernized traffic signals, new curbs, gutters, sidewalks and sidewalk ramps; replacement of municipal water mains, and reconstruction of drainage structures and storm sewers. Work will begin next April and is scheduled through November 2009.
"We believe in Benton Harbor and are proud to work with the community to provide a broad range of transportation services for economic benefit and improved quality of life," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "This project aligns us with our mission and provides us opportunities to work together for a better Michigan."
Under federal law, 10 percent of federal surface transportation funds are set aside for TE projects. Administered by MDOT, the grants enable communities to invest in streetscapes and nonmotorized trails. TE funds provide a maximum of 80 percent of the money required for each project, with the remainder coming from state and local government and the private sector.
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