It seems like everybody and his brother are going after federal grant dollars these days and the Village of Oxford is no exception.
Council last week authorized Nowak & Fraus, an engineering firm based in Pontiac, to prepare a grant application for the Oakland County Federal Aid Committee requesting funding in 2014 to reconstruct approximately 1,800 feet of W. Burdick St.
The village is proposing to install curb and gutter, resolve drainage issues and lower the hill in the roadway by two feet. All of the work would take place along W. Burdick St. from the west end of the township cemetery to the area between Conda Lane and Burdick Woods Ct.
The estimated cost of the project is $549,464, of which the federal grant could cover up to 80 percent or $439,571. The remainder, an estimated $109,893, would have to be paid by the village.
Council is applying for funds that won’t be available for five years ‘because all the years before that are already committed? to projects, according to village Manager Joe Young.
Young indicated the hill that divides the north and south sides of the township cemetery and borders the entrance to the private Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery needs to be lowered because it poses a ‘safety issue.?
‘Certainly, there’s a visual problem,? he said.
The sight distance, or length of roadway visible to drivers, is poor for motorists headed east over and down the hill.
This poses a danger to pedestrians crossing W. Burdick St. at the bottom of the hill. A pedestrian crossing for the 14.2-mile, non-motorized Polly Ann Trail is located there.
Young indicated there’s also an issue with drivers being able to safely enter and exit the township cemetery on the hill.
?(Township Supervisor) Bill Dunn commented about how getting in and out of that driveway to the cemetery is kind of treacherous, too,? the manager said.
Applications for the federal grant are due Jan. 21. Before then, council must decide what the percentage of the project the village is willing to pay as this could influence Oxford’s chances.
‘We’re competing on a point-basis with every other project that might be submitted,? Young explained. ‘The 80 percent is the maximum amount you can get. If you did a 50/50 (split), you get more points, so your project might get funded sooner.?
‘It’s something for them to think about. Meanwhile, we’ll get the paperwork put together,? the manager added.
Should the village be selected to receive federal dollars in 2014, council would then have to decide whether or not it wishes to fund the entire project ahead of time to get it done sooner, then be reimbursed later.
‘We could, if we wanted to, pay for it up front,? Young said. ‘You could do it anytime during that three-year period.?
The manager suggested the village could pay for the entire project by either issuing municipal bonds or borrowing from another fund. ‘That’s what a number of communities do. For example, we have $1 million in our sewer fund. They could borrow it from there.?
Young noted the village currently has $28,000 available through Oakland County’s Tri-Party program, a road funding mechanism, which could be put toward the project.
As part of the application process, Nowak and Fraus will be conducting a traffic count along that stretch of W. Burdick St.
‘So we want to encourage all the heavy trucks to drive down that street,? said Young, repeating a joke made by a representative from the engineering firm.
Council agreed to pay Nowak and Fraus an amount not to exceed $1,056 for its work. That’s $480 to prepare the grant application and $576 to conduct the traffic count. ‘That’s what a number of communities do. For example, we have $1 million in our sewer fund. They could borrow it from there,? he said.