Delta Charter and Lansing Charter Townships – Waverly Pathway

Community: The Charter Township of Delta
Population: 10,000+

The 10-foot Waverly Road shared use pathway was a project completed after efforts by Delta Charter Township to bring together regional partners to coordinate a non-motorized need of two townships, reconstruction of a county road, and a $60 million freeway project. Delta Charter Township and Lansing Charter Township was active in planning discussions with multiple agencies to plan the addition of the shared use pathway through the project area to address a lack of facilities and associated hazards to pedestrians in the area. The project included connections to the west side of Waverly at St. Joe and Old Lansing Road to make the path available to all residents. The project was financed with three different grants totaling $874,000 which was necessary given that neither community had funding available for the project. The project was made possible through extraordinary multi-agency collaboration which resulted in a regional non-motorized pathway.


Replicability:

This pathway itself is very easy to replicate in other communities because the basis of the design is MDOT’s guidelines for non-motorized pathways. The challenge for a municipality facing a similar project that spans and impacts multiple municipal, county, and state jurisdictions with different areas of focus, timelines, and funding abilities Is to coordinate with each agency all the components of a project from the conception through the actual construction and in this case to accomplish that with no money out of pocket.

Creativity and Originality:

The Township was determined to reduce the fatality and injury rates among bicyclists and pedestrians and improve this corridor for non-motorized travel. Addressing these safety issues was a major historical impetus behind the adoption of the project, along with the desire to develop a multimodal transportation network to provide safe and efficient transportation options for our citizens. Pedestrians and bicyclists no longer have to traverse along the edge of the roadway near busy intersections with the worry of being hit by a vehicle. Community members and visitors are now able to safely enjoy the new shared use pathway to connect with local shopping, restaurants, services, and public transit. The pathway provides a regional benefit by providing access to a CATA bus stop that serves the Lansing Community College West Campus and Downtown Campus. Residents are also able to use the pathway for recreation and transportation to connect Delta Township and Lansing Township to the City of Lansing and is close to connecting with the Lansing River Trail. This pathway is for everyone to safely enjoy, whether they use a wheelchair, stroller, bike, or their own two feet. The result is a safer community with more livable neighborhoods and healthier residents, who have increased opportunities for active transportation. While many non-motorized pathways are built, this project exemplifies the true example of multi-governmental cooperation.

Community Impact:

This is a very dynamic project for the Lansing area community. It not only changed a portion of the north/south Waverly Road corridor running along the edge of Delta Township and Lansing Township, but it provided much-needed pedestrian access to our communities. Over the years, there have been many pedestrians and cyclists having to navigate along the edge of the road next to vehicles resulting in pedestrian fatalities and injuries. The shared use pathway project had been discussed for many years but given the large number of different jurisdictions involved; a common goal and plan had not come to fruition. MDOT’s announcement of a major freeway project including the interchange on Waverly Road, as well as Ingham County plans to reconstruct Waverly gave Delta Township the opportunity provide vision and partnership for a non-motorized project. This project saw many levels of involvement, funding sources, and was a true multi-agency collaboration starting with Delta Charter Township, Lansing Charter Township, MDOT, the Ingham County Road Department, Eaton County Road Commission. This multijurisdictional pathway is half built in Delta Township and the other half built in Lansing Township. Both Townships worked together to establish buy in from the road commissions and MDOT and pull together all regional stakeholders. From securing easements and working with a railroad, to securing enough funding for the project that neither Township had out of pocket expenses. This level of cooperation gave all jurisdictions the opportunity to be more fiscally responsible by combining projects together in partnership.

Back to Main Entry Page>

 

Share this page!

Facebooktwitterlinkedin

 

Project Multimedia:

Project PowerPoint