Berrien County administrators agreed on a draft resolution asking the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to consider four specific changes to a planned Pearl Street reconstruction project in St. Joseph. The administration committee approved forwarding the draft to the full board for consideration and potential action.

The draft resolution asks MDOT to: preserve the existing left-turn access onto Pearl Street from the county building parking lot; reinstate 54 public parking spaces MDOT’s design had removed; maintain continuous 24/7 vehicular access and utility service (water/sewer) to the county jail and its sally port during construction; and include a broadband conduit in the project so the county can connect several downtown buildings.

The resolution was presented to the administration committee as a request to MDOT rather than an endorsement of the overall MDOT design. County staff said the county would provide formal support only if MDOT agrees in writing to these four requests; otherwise the county would remain neutral on the project.

Sheriff Chuck Hite, speaking during the public-comment portion tied to the item, urged the county to insist on written assurance that the jail’s single vehicle entrance remain open throughout construction. “We’ve only got one entrance into the sally port, and it needs to be,” Hite said, identifying the operational risk to emergency access and deliveries if the entry is restricted.

County staff told the committee that MDOT has held public open houses in St. Joseph and that MDOT’s design team has emphasized pedestrian and vehicle safety as the rationale for removing turning lanes. The staff member presenting the background said MDOT has indicated it understands the need to keep the courthouse and jail access open and that including conduit is possible if a utility partner funds placement.

Commissioner questions centered on MDOT’s justification for the design choices and on whether the county should oppose the project if MDOT will not meet the county’s four requests. An administration committee member said the draft has been rewritten several times to reflect concerns raised by multiple commissioners and that, barring substantive objections, the item will be formalized and placed on the board agenda in the coming weeks.

Next steps: the draft resolution will be finalized by county staff, returned to the administration committee for a formal vote as needed, and then transmitted to the full board for consideration. The county indicated it may add the item to next week’s agenda if staff and commissioners can complete final edits in time.

Ending: County officials said they will continue to gather feedback from MDOT and local stakeholders. The administration committee left open the possibility of formally opposing the project if MDOT does not provide assurances on continuous jail access and utilities.