Pittsfield Township to benefit from State Transportation Economic Development Grant

By April 20, 2016Articles

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has awarded a state transportation economic development grant (TEDF) to the Washtenaw County Road Commission (WCRC) to fund the reconstruction, paving, and widening of the gravel segment of Textile Road from State Road to Platt Road in Pittsfield Township. The project is scheduled for 2017.
The TEDF-funded Textile Road improvements will support the consolidation and expansion of the Thomson Reuters Inc. (TR) in Pittsfield Township. TR has outgrown its current four facilities in the Ann Arbor area and plans to consolidate and expand operations off Textile Road.
One obstacle to Thomson Reuters’ consolidation and expansion was concern about traffic safety and congestion. The paving of Textile Road will provide improved access to Thomson Reuters’ facility and alleviate congestion on US-12 by providing a paved alternative for area commuters.
Based, in part, on a commitment by the Washtenaw County Road Commission and Pittsfield Township to address traffic issues in the area, Thomson Reuters has decided to continue its operations in the Ann Arbor area – resulting in the retention of 1,163 existing jobs, and the creation of 242 new jobs by 2018.
“Without cooperation between our agency,  the business community and Pittsfield Township, we would not have had the opportunity to apply for this TEDF funding to upgrade Textile Road and keep business moving in Washtenaw County,” said Sheryl Soderholm Siddall, Director of Engineering at the Washtenaw County Road Commission.
The estimated cost of the project is $2,200,000. A TEDF grant of $1,933,400 will cover 88% of the project’s construction costs. WCRC and Pittsfield Township have contributed the match and other project-related costs. 
Enacted in 1987 and reauthorized in 1993, the TEDF helps finance highway, road and street projects that encourage private investment in Michigan resulting in job creation or retention. TEDF “Category A” or “Targeted Industries Program” grants provide state funding for transportation improvements that will help accommodate increased traffic and provide commercial routes that are safe and more efficient for new and expanding companies. More information about the program is available online at www.michigan.gov/tedf.