Scio Township and the Washtenaw County Road Commission recently celebrated the Boulevard Grand Opening, marking successful completion of the Jackson Road, Phase III project. Phase III was a two-year, $14.1 million road project that extended the Boulevard an additional two miles westward. In addition to road reconstruction, the project included new sanitary sewers, sidewalks, bike paths, and landscaping. The beautifully landscaped, four-lane concrete Boulevard supports the local business community and sets the stage for the annual Jackson Road Cruise.
The primary contractor for the Phase III project was Dan's
Excavating, Inc. The Road Commission provided project
oversight throughout the planning and construction phases.
OHM, Inc. of Michigan provided project design.
Important concrete research, initiated by Dr. Parviz Soroushian of Michigan State University, was conducted through the Jackson Road, Phase III project. This research involves incorporating higher levels of recycled concrete and fly ash into the new concrete road. These materials were used as a replacement for some of the cement in concrete mixes, and doing so actually improves strength characteristics of concrete. If proven successful, future benefits from this research could lead to billions of dollars saved nationally from lower concrete costs, lower road maintenance costs, significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced landfill volume contributed by old concrete and fly ash.
Funding for this complex project required a considerable amount of planning and coordination. The Phase III project utilized federal and state transportation funds, Scio Township funds, and Scio Township Downtown Development Authority (DDA) bond proceeds.
- The federal and state transportation funding portion of the project was allocated through High Priority Project (HPP), Transportation Enhancement, and Local Jobs Today Program funds.
- The federal-aid share of the road-related construction items was approximately 50%, with HPP funds and Local Jobs Today monies making up almost $6 million of the $11.7 million road and landscaping portions of the project.
- The remaining costs for design, right-of-way acquisition and local matching funds were borne by Scio Township and the Scio Township DDA.
The Board of Road Commissioners expresses appreciation
for twenty-plus years of visionary leadership extended by the Scio Township DDA in
making Jackson Road Boulevard a beacon of economic vitality for
the township, the county, and southeast Michigan.
A message from Steve Puuri, WCRC Managing Director