Glen Arbor hosts open house to discuss Heritage Trail connector route
From staff reports
Glen Arbor Township will host a community open house on Thursday, Aug. 19, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Township Hall, located at 6394 W. Western Ave, to discuss a preliminary design for a connector route for the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
Preliminary design is underway for a proposed trail route connecting Glen Arbor to the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail just north of The Homestead property and Westman Road.
Glen Arbor Township will share information and gather community input on a proposed draft trail alignment. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about the planning and design process and a proposed trail route, and to provide input on the draft routing.
The Township kicked off the preliminary design process this past fall in an effort to make a more direct, safe and comfortable connection for residents and visitors looking to enjoy the Heritage Trail and access downtown Glen Arbor by foot, wheelchair, or bicycle. Preliminary design takes a deeper look into the details of the trail route, what it will look like, and cost estimates for construction and maintenance. This information will allow the Township to determine how it wishes to move forward with final engineering and ultimately construction.
The first section of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail opened in June 2012 connecting Forest Haven Dr. to the Dune Climb in Glen Arbor. Work has also been underway on a section, north of Glen Arbor, extending from Bohemian Road (CR 669) to Good Harbor Trail (CR 651).
The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a project of the Leelanau Scenic Heritage Route Committee (LSHR). Trail development is a partnership between the LSHR Committee, the Michigan Department of Transportation, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, and TART Trails. Funding for trail development comes from local and state funds, federal and state grants, foundations, and individual donations.
