The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has gotten an update on progress with the Red Arrow Highway Linear Trail.
The project to build a roadside trail up Red Arrow Highway all the way from the Indiana state line to Bridgman has been in the works for nearly ten years.
Speaking to the board of commissioners this week, Berrien County Road Department Director Mark Heyliger said more work will be done this year.
“This year’s planned construction, US-12 to Community Hall is on the project list for this year, as well as Berrien Street to Lakeshore Road,” Heyliger said. “However, we are still waiting for the approval of a TAP grant, which is linked to this project.”
The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission’s Marcy Hamilton told commissioners MDOT has been working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to plan for the trail to cut through Warren Dunes State Park up to Floral Lane near Bridgman in future years. After that, the trail would have to return to the side of Red Arrow Highway into the city.
“Then we’ll be working with them to secure funding to build it in the coming years to hopefully get us all the way to Bridgman,” Hamilton said. “Bridgman is talking about sending that trail through town in their plans locally, too.”
Hamilton said the Red Arrow Highway Linear Trail will connect to the Marquette Greenway, a trail from Chicago to New Buffalo. It also could eventually connect to other major trail systems like the Kal Haven Trail.
Heyliger said as the trail expands, additional portions of Red Arrow Highway could be put on a road diet, taking it from four lanes to three to improve safety.
You can learn more about the Red Arrow Highway Linear Trail right here.
