MDOT Safe Routes grant to fund sidewalks, crossings in Anchor Bay area; construction not expected until 2027

The Anchor Bay School District received an update on a MDOT Safe Routes to School grant that will fund sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian-safety features at multiple schools in the district, though all ground work is not expected to begin until 2027.

Todd Rathbun told the board the grant was approved by MDOT in October and the City of New Baltimore, as an Act 51 agency, is the award recipient for the infrastructure portion (about $1.8 million). "So, you'll notice that although we're having some projects done in Chesterfield Township, the city of New Baltimore has been awarded the grant," Rathbun said. A separate non-infrastructure award of about $90,000 will support outreach, bike rodeos and other programs; the district expects to contract with the Michigan Fitness Foundation to administer the non-infrastructure activities.

Scope and timing: The infrastructure funds cover projects within the district that sit inside the jurisdictions of New Baltimore and Chesterfield Township: crosswalks with reflective paint, flashing beacons, sidewalk gap-fill, curb repairs and tie-ins at or near Ashley, Great Oaks, Lighthouse, Lottie, Naldra, Bridal School North and other locations identified by walking audits and stakeholder committee work. Rathbun emphasized that the grant-funded projects will not break ground until 2027 as the city needs to file detailed project planning and engineering documents with MDOT first.

Maintenance and contracts: Rathbun said the participating municipalities (New Baltimore and Chesterfield Township) will enter contracts with contractors and will be responsible for maintaining improvements within their jurisdictions. "If it's within your jurisdiction, you're gonna take care of it," Rathbun told the board, summarizing the maintenance agreement included in the grant application.

Costs and limitations: The presentation noted per-school infrastructure averages in the application near $300,000 for eligible schools and that the grant will not pay for crossing guards or other personnel costs. Board members asked whether the grant could reimburse previous sidewalk work; Rathbun said it cannot: all grant projects must be new and the program does not provide retroactive reimbursement.

Local reaction: Trustees thanked staff and municipal partners for pursuing the grant. One trustee asked whether the high school was excluded for jurisdictional reasons; Rathbun said the high school and McCants are outside the New Baltimore/Chesterfield boundary and would have required coordination through St. Clair County.

What comes next: The district will finalize the non-infrastructure scope and contract for the outreach funds with the Michigan Fitness Foundation and coordinate with New Baltimore and Chesterfield Township on MDOT project-planning submittals prior to 2027 construction.