County to accept Aerotropolis-funded engineering study for Pennsylvania grade separation; no county cost reported

Wayne County staff told the Public Services committee on Nov. 13 that the Detroit Regional Aerotropolis Development Corporation (DRA) has offered to fund a preliminary engineering analysis for the Pennsylvania grade separation project in the city of Romulus and Huron Charter Township.

Alan Cohen, assistant division director of engineering, said DRA will provide the full analysis funding — described in the presentation as "over a million dollars" — and that Wayne County’s role would be to advertise, award and administer the professional-services contract that performs the engineering work. Cohen said the analysis will be used to support future grant applications; a prior attempt to secure roughly $80 million for the project was unsuccessful.

Commissioners asked whether DRA approached the county or vice versa; Cohen said the regional organization initially approached the local agency, applied for funding for the bridge and then pursued this funding mechanism after failing to secure the larger grant. Staff said there is no direct cost to Wayne County for the analysis; the county will manage procurement and the project contract.

The committee did not take final procurement action at the committee level but moved the item forward to the full Board for consideration along with other consent and contract items.