TART Improvement & Extension

Contact

City Planning

Phone

(231) 922-4778

Project Updates

January 2023

Project Update Presentation
 

October 2023

$500,000 Public Space Place-Based Infrastructure RAP Grant Awarded


August 2023

At their August 21, 2023 meeting, the City Commission will consider approving final designs for the project.

Final Design Presentation


June 2023

At their June 19, 2023 meeting, the City Commission approved providing a letter of support for TART Trails to submit a grant application seeking $500,000 in funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporations RAP 2.0 Program for extension of the TART Bayfront Trail east from the Murchie Bridge through the Senior Center. The City Commission also authorized the allocation of $421,449 from the fund balance of the General Fund, contingent upon successfully being awarded the above-mentioned grant.

After a variety of input sessions in connection with the TART Improvement & Extension Project, the City received 60% of the designs. Final design are anticipated in August 2023, including final cost estimates.


Outreach & Engagement

March Engagement Sessions

Recording of Virtual Session on March 15th

Presentation Slides with Design Concepts

 

February Engagement Sessions

Recording of Virtual Session on February 15th 

Presentation Slides with Design Concepts


Project Background

At their November 21, 2022 meeting, the City Commission approved awarding a contract to Progressive AE for the complete project with the execution of a consultant agreement for design services not to exceed $448,391 at this time and the execution of a memorandum of understanding between the City, TART, and the DDA, with the intent of awarding the construction services portion of the consultant agreement in the amount of $325,031, assuming construction occurs in 2024. 

The Traverse Area Recreation Trail (TART) Improvement and Extension is located between West End Beach and the intersection of Peninsula and Eastern Avenue.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is reconstructing Grandview Parkway from Garfield Avenue to Division Street in 2024 providing an ideal opportunity to address non-motorized transportation improvements along the corridor.  The City, Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and TART Trails engaged the services of Progressive AE to identify opportunities and create a conceptual plan for the existing trail along the waterfront from the West End Beach parking lot, extending past the Murchie Bridge to continue along the corridor and down Peninsula Drive to the intersection with Garfield Avenue.

The section of non-motorized trail between West End Beach and the Murchie Bridge serves as confluence of the regional trail network for both transportation and recreation, providing a junction for the TART, Leelanau Trail, and the Boardman Lake Loop Trail. Furthermore, the heavily used waterfront parks in this location create an exceptionally high level of trail use. Trail counts conducted along this stretch by TART Trails in 2018 and 2019 showed over two million trail visits annually. The pandemic impacted trail counts in the subsequent years with the cancellation and/or modification of the National Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival events, and more people working remotely. As these events come back online, combined with a rise in interest for outdoor activities since the onset of the pandemic and improved access to the trail as part of the Grandview Parkway reconstruction, the increasing trend in trail use is expected to continue.

Project Features

The capacity limitations of the current non-motorized facility results in periods of congestion and user conflicts. To address this, the concept plan proposes expanding the trail width to 16 feet, with 10 feet dedicated to bi-directional bicycle use, and six feet dedicated to pedestrian use. The added width will address the capacity limitations and marking the pavement to separate pedestrians and bicyclists will address user conflicts by creating space for the modes which operate at different speeds.

East of Senior Center Beach it is anticipated that the trail would narrow down to approximately 12 feet due to an expected decrease in trail use compared to the Open Space along with a constrained right-of-way in this area. The extension of the trail would require easements from the private property owners between Bayshore Resort and the intersection with Peninsula Drive and Grandview Parkway. The Consultant will be expected to work with DDA/City/TART staff and residents to determine the appropriate facility (ies) along Peninsula Drive and north to the intersection of PeninsulaDrive/M37 and Eastern Avenue. The scope of work for this project ends at the intersection of M-37 and Eastern Avenue. This extension, however, will eventually connect to NMC, Traverse City Central High School, Eastern Elementary, the Civic Center, and other points of interest in and around the base of the peninsula.

This project directly aligns with many of the City Commission’s strategic priorities, goals, and objectives including access and mobility, climate action, and connecting people with each other and nature. An argument can also be made that accessible non-motorized transportation options can help address housing and economic development. Moreover, this project represents an opportunity to further strengthen and improve overall mobility and access for our most vulnerable population along the Grandview Parkway / East Front Street corridor to enhance the work done with MDOT’s planned 2024 reconstruction.


Phase 1

In October 2023, TART Trails was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporations RAP 2.0 Program. In addition, the City Commission, in June 2023, approved an allocation of $421,449 for the project, contingent upon successfully being awarded the above-mentioned grant. The funding will be allocated to Phase 1 of the project, which includes the following:

 

  • Sunset Park to Senior Center: Connecting the public properties with an improved trail
  • Clinch Park to Murchie Bridge: Improved section of aging asphalt trail
  • Division to Hall Street: Trail construction along the southern portion of Grandview Parkway

 

A Request for Proposals is intended to be issued in winter 2024 and construction for Phase 1 of the project is being targeted for 2024.


Funding

The City Manager’s Annual Budget for FY 2022/23 included a $150,000 appropriation for the design engineering services, with an additional $150,000 commitment from TART and the DDA each, for a project budget total of $450,000.

Phase I
Rap Grant: $500,000
City of Traverse City:  $421,449 General Fund

Funding has not been identified for construction of the entire project at this time. However, the trail has enjoyed a long history of financial support from state agencies and has the potential to garner significant federal, state, and private funding support.