The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Bypass idea gets a chilly reception
By Sandi Kasha, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 1, 2007
The Washtenaw County Road Commission's recent attempt in reviving the bypass idea ended with jeers from residents and some officials.
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The Road Commission addressed about 100 residents and officials at a public meeting Monday at the Dexter Senior Center.
The Road Commission found that residents and some officials still haven't warmed up to the idea of extending Parker Road.
The bypass was introduced 10 years ago to Dexter area residents that frowned upon the proposal. The scrutiny and lack of funds forced the Road Commission to put it on the back burner.
"I don't know of anybody who's in favor of it," said Village Trustee Paul Cousins. "It will destroy the charm and character of our village and it's unnecessary."
With so much negativity surrounding the idea, why would the Road Commission want to propose a road extension?
The bypass, which would extend Parker Road north and west to connect it to Dexter-Pinckney Road, was proposed to alleviate traffic congestion.
Steve Puuri, managing director for the Road Commission, said Monday that the lack of north and south connectivity was another factor as to why a bypass would be favorable.
Although residents agreed that traffic is a problem, they didn't feel a bypass was needed.
With the Road Commission admitting that they don't have funding for the bypass project, why propose it at all?
"We propose a lot of initiative," said Jim Harmon, assistant director of engineering for the Road Commission. "There is absolutely no funding for it, but it is our responsibility to look at those things. For us to bring it up is to the idea alive."
While the bypass won't happen overnight, Harmon said that it's important for the community to be aware that traffic congestion is a regional issue.
"The bypass is a possible alternative to mitigate traffic," he said. "Should it be based on sentiment or charm or should it be based on science and feasibility studies?"
WHAT ABOUT UMRC?
With the bypass put on the back burner, Cousins said he hopes that the focus can be turned to United Methodist Retirement Communities pending development.
"I just hope that they can get UMRC on board and we can move forward," said Cousins, a member of the Dexter Area Historical Society.
But before anything is set in motion UMRC has to meet the Road Commission's prerequisites.
"They have to provide further engineering details and analysis," Harmon said. "They have to provide a traffic study. The point is that they have to be consistent with our requirements."
But the process may take a significant amount of time, Harmon said.
"These things don't typically happen overnight and it will take a considerable amount of time," he said of the proposed 60-unit, retirement community that will be developed on 15 acres of the Gordon Hall property.
Cousins and members of the Historical Society, who've fought to save Gordon Hall, have waited patiently for the Road Commission to grant a permit for UMRC's road entrance.
The UMRC development is vital to Gordon Hall's survival since the development would generate $600,000 that would go toward the estate's $1.5 million price tag.
Gil Campbell, president of the Historical Society, said Monday that he feels that UMRC's delay is unnecessary.
"I'm wondering if the Road Commission will pony up $600,000 for that land so that we may keep the property," he said.
The Historical Society had indicated in previous articles that the Road Commission was trying to thwart the UMRC project because it conflicted with the bypass that would cut behind the Gordon Hall property.
The Road Commission denied the claim and said that they were following their standard procedure.
Harmon said that the Road Commission makes prudent and fiduciary-based decisions.
He added that there isn't a conspiracy to prevent UMRC's development.
"There were factors that we had problems with," he said Monday. "Upon reviewing the site plan we needed to understand the annexation issue and determine which municipality is in charge."
Village officials accepted UMRC's request for a conditional land transfer Dec. 11.
Harmon added that UMRC has four items, two they have to submit applications, they have to address.
Harmon said that UMRC is complying with the Road Commission.
"They've contacted us and told us that they're committed to give us information that we need," he said.
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