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Inkster budget session outlines Cherry Hill roadway project and $600,000 local share
Summary
DPS Director Mr. Bivvens told council the FY27 budget centers on a federally funded Cherry Hill reconstruction shared with Dearborn Heights; the federal award is about $2.7 million and Inkster’s net obligation was described as roughly $600,000 after expected reimbursements.
DPS Director Mr. Bivvens told the council the city will concentrate FY27 road funding on a joint Cherry Hill reconstruction with Dearborn Heights, driven by a $2.7 million federal grant for the corridor. “We got funding from the feds in assets of $2.7 million which will be split between us and Dearborn Heights,” Mr. Bivvens said, adding Inkster’s gross obligation was described in the meeting as about $1.6 million with roughly $1.0 million expected to be reimbursed to the city, leaving an estimated local share near $600,000.
The department classified streets as “major” when they link to neighboring jurisdictions. Mr. Bivvens listed major corridors — Inkster Road, Cherry Hill, Beach Daily and Harrison — and warned multiple times that some streets (Harrison was singled out) require full reconstruction, including replacement of water, sanitary and storm infrastructure beneath the pavement. “There’s no base under that road,” he said, explaining that piecemeal patching would waste public funds when full replacement is needed.
Councilors and staff discussed the city’s five- to ten‑year prioritization process, guided by PASER pavement ratings, revenue projections and grant opportunities. Mr. Bivvens said local-road work for FY27 is limited to routine maintenance (street sweeping, cold patching) while larger projects await outside funding; he named an Aenddale multi‑phase application submitted in April that, if awarded, would begin in FY29.
Council members asked about the funding timeline and state and federal partners; staff said MDOT assisted the application and the city will not recognize anticipated reimbursements until revenues are captured. No formal vote on road projects occurred at the session; staff framed the discussion as information for final FY27 budget decisions.
The administration also noted the constraints of current revenues and recommended prioritizing the most critical segments while pursuing grant awards. Next steps identified in the session: continue intergovernmental coordination on grants, finalize cost‑share estimates for the Cherry Hill project and present updated funding assumptions when the full budget is distributed.
