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Grand Vision functional classification map

(Click here to download a full-size version of this map: exhibit_H)

The technical reports for the Grand Vision are just about complete.  It’s time to get something done to improve east-west mobility in the region, and – in the process – to take some traffic off Division St. 

The ”project agent” for the $1.6 million traffic and land use study connected with the Grand Vision is TC-TALUS, which is a coalition of local governmental units, road agencies, and other stakeholders.  I’ve been the city’s rep on this group since last November. 

TALUS is almost finished with the principal reports for that study.  Included in these is a set of recommended changes to the “functional classification” of certain roads in the region, based on an assessment of traffic projections and modeling of various scenarios.  The functional classification changes are used to seek money for road improvements.

The map at the top of this post shows the recommended changes.  One of the changes is the upgrade of Beitner to Keystone to Hammond to Three Mile to a “principal arterial” – the same category as US-31.  The report backing up this change says:  

Along this route, the extension of Hammond Road to Keystone Road will create a new link in the street network grid.  The new connection in the grid street network provides more options for circulation in the urban core including east-west travel movement.  The increase in travel path options allows more cars to choose between an east-west route on Hammond Road or on S. Airport Road. 

The combination of this recommendation and the recent completion of that connection provides an immediate opportunity.  The Grand Vision could act to improve E-W mobility around TC by designating this new route as a US-31 alternate for those traveling north to Elk Rapids, Charlevoix, Petoskey and beyond; or south to Beulah, Manistee and Muskegon. 

If people want to come to Traverse City, we want them here.  But if they are only passing through on the way to  somewhere else, they should have a clearly-marked alternative and we should have a little less vehicle pressure through our neighborhoods and along our waterfront parks.  The businesses along already-expanded Hammond Road and Three Mile would benefit from increased vehicle trips as well.  Everybody wins.

There are issues that will need to be sorted out.  At least initially, frost laws and grades on some sections of this route will limit use by trucks.  On the other hand, upgrading the functional classification allows money to be sought to address this issue.  There is also implementation money in the Grand Vision budget that could help. 

The road agencies would need to work out their respective jurisdictions and responsibilities over a re-signed, upgraded alternate route.  Yet that was precisely the object of doing the Grand Vision study in the first place.

There is one potential area of controversy – but it should not be.  The functional classification map also includes removal of a proposed bridge connecting Hartman and Hammond Roads.  The reason given for this recommendation is that if that kind of money is to be spent upgrading the capacity of the region’s road network, it would improve more capacity if it was spent elsewhere in the network. 

Some will view this proposal for a clearly designated alternate route as an action that rules out a future bridge.  Of that group, some will view this as a good thing and some will view it as a bad thing.  I see no reason to connect the two. 

We have a need – for multiple reasons – to improve flow and take some pass-through traffic around town rather than through the heart of town.  An alternate route will address this problem – now.  A bridge may or may not ever come to pass, but realistically it will be years before anyone even thinks about funding it.  An alternate route will still be used, bridge or no bridge. 

Next Monday I will ask the city commission to sign off on making the request for an alternate US-31 route along this corridor to the road agencies.  I believe the Supervisor of Garfield Township, Chuck Korn, will make a similar request (he deserves most of the credit for this idea).  I believe the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce will make a similar request.  I hope Blair and East Bay Townships, through which the route also runs, will make the request as well. 

There has been a lot of study and a lot of public money and a lot of public process looking at these issues.  That – for the most part – has been a good thing.  Now it’s time to do something.