“We are definitely tentatively scheduled for 2019 or 2020.”

Based on what he’s been told by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), that’s the best answer Glenn Pape, executive director of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA), could give his board last week regarding the M-24 construction project.

“Got it narrowed down to 24 months, have we? Cool,” replied DDA Board Member Rod Charles.

But seriously folks . . .

Pape informed the board that Oxford must have its ducks in a row should the scheduling for this major project get moved up.

“The instructions we received (from MDOT) are to be prepared to be shovel-ready for 2019 in case the funding becomes available to (move it back) to 2019,” he said. “The project is still scheduled for 2020.”

“Given the unpredictability of when extra funding may become available, MDOT will continue with plan development to meet 2019 construction,” wrote MDOT Project Manager Nguyen Nguyen in a Feb. 19 e-mail to Pape.

MDOT is planning to conduct a rehabilitation project involving 2.759 miles of M-24 from Goldengate St. in Orion Township to Drahner Rd. in Oxford Township.

At the same time, MDOT will undertake the complete reconstruction of 1.65 miles of M-24 in Oxford from Drahner Rd. to Harriet St., just north of the village. Age coupled with the condition of the roadway and drainage infrastructure warrant this reconstruction, according to the state.

The project was originally scheduled to happen in 2019, then word came down in an Oct. 19, 2017 email from MDOT that it was “pushed to 2020 construction” due to changes in priorities and funding.

When it happens, the reconstruction will encompass downtown Oxford from end to end. In addition to completely tearing out the road, downtown’s sidewalks, along with trees and light poles, will be removed and replaced.

DDA and village officials view this as their opportunity to implement streetscape improvements while M-24 is essentially a clean – or dirt – slate. These improvements are meant to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, abate noise pollution, calm traffic and create a sense of place that invites visitors.

According to Pape, the project’s potential move back to 2019 means the DDA is on “an accelerated schedule” to get its grant application submitted for the state’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

“We need to be applying for the TAP grant on March 7 of this year,” Pape told the board.

In Nguyen’s e-mail to Pape, she indicated the TAP grant coordinator recommends the village submit its application “as soon as possible to increase the chance of securing funding.”

“The grant would be tied to the project and follow (the) M-24 construction schedule, thus (it could) be used in either 2019 or 2020,” she wrote. “Waiting to apply may result in funds not being available if the project is to be expedited.”

Oxford is hoping to receive TAP monies to put toward streetscape improvements. Back when the grant application was originally going to be submitted in October 2017, a total of $525,945 was being sought, however, Pape noted that amount is going to change.

“We’re still finalizing those numbers because . . . we have to include (an amount that takes inflation into account) in case it doesn’t go until 2020,” he explained to this reporter. “We’re still playing with those numbers a little bit, but it’s going to be right in that area.”

In addition to communicating to the public about when the M-24 project is going to happen, Charles told Pape the DDA needs to make sure people know “MDOT controls things.”

Charles said “a lot of times people think” it’s the DDA or the village or the township that’s in charge “and they don’t realize that MDOT pulls the strings.”

“That message would be helpful to everybody, I believe – that MDOT is the responsible party,” he said.

According to Charles, the other thing the public wants to know is will M-24 be “entirely closed” during construction or will the state shut down half of it at a time. “That conversation comes up repeatedly,” he said.

“I get asked that several times a week,” responded Pape. “And the answer is we don’t know yet.”

Pape explained the process.

“MDOT is proceeding with construction design documents to be ready for (the) 2019 construction season, which would begin in roughly late February (or) early March of 2019,” he said. “Their plan is to have the entire project designed and ready to go by the end of this year.”

“We won’t know (about) construction scheduling diagrams until they prepare their bid documents, which usually comes somewhere between the second and third design review, which would be between June and September,” Pape continued. “So, somewhere in there, we’ll have an idea of what this closing’s going to look like, what the schedule’s going to look like (and) what they’re going to do in terms of (either) completely close (M-24) or close half (of it) at a time and flip.”

Instead of just focusing on the potential loss of customers during construction, Charles said businesses that wish to make improvements to their storefronts should view the M-24 project as their chance to do so.

“It’s not just bad. It’s an opportunity, depending on which way you want to slice it,” he said.