Lighted ski trail plan gets complicated

By TOM LAVENTURE

tlaventure@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — A project to light some trail areas of Miners Memorial Heritage Park may need to wait a year unless other sources of funding are identified.

Tom Kangas, a member of the Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee, previously recommended that work continue to try and install around 1.9 miles of solar or standard electric lighting on the Aurora Loop at Miners Park. At the meeting on Monday, the discussion on the project led to questions that presented concerns on the ability to put a solid plan together prior to deadlines to apply for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant by the March deadline.

“This could be included in the CIP (capital improvement program) if you think this is something you think we should build this year,” said Tom Bergman, director of community development for the city of Ironwood. “But if this is not built after July 1st then it is more likely not to be built until 2022, and we could put it on the CIP for next year.”

Bergman said the project estimates from a previous parks and recreation committee plan ranged from $150,000 to $175,000 per mile of trail. The current cost estimates are much likely higher and even if this is a priority on the committee list it does not mean the city will automatically fund it, he said.

“But if you want this then you should include it to integrate it into the city comprehensive plan,” Bergman said.

The lighted ski trail project emerged from the goal-setting meeting in January and was discussed as a potential DNR Trust Fund project, Bergman said. This is a project that could be completed in phases and the DNR may more likely support a phase two extension of the project if the phase one portion was completed with other funding, he said.

“Phase one could be a standalone project to start and then we could go after additions,” Bergman said. 

Sam Davey, committee chair, said the lighted trail idea was kept on the planning list for several years as a long-shot project idea should there ever be a grant available. He has received some comments against the lighted trails but recommended that Bergman contact Xcel Energy to see if they have foundation programs or grants to help with the phase one lighting project. 

Bergman suggested to hold off on plans to install restrooms, a warming building and equipment building at Miners park until the lighted ski trail map is completed. It will be important to know where the lighted trail will be for all of these projects, he said.

“The benefit of a lighted ski trail is a high visibility project and that is new and something that people get excited about,” Bergman said. “Figuring out how to map it and set it up is the only complication.”

Kangas also encouraged reaching out to Xcel Energy. He said a grant application could include the benefits of lights for dog walkers and mountain bikers in the summer along with skiers and snowshoers in the winter. 

“This will take more time but it’s a good idea,” Kangas said. 

Bergman said that Xcel might prove to be a more reliable and faster source of funding that could get phase one completed in a year. That would make it easier to apply to the DNR for the phase two project the following year.

Another project that emerged from the goal-setting session was an outdoor fitness station to be installed along the Iron Belle Trail in Ironwood, or in a local park. The project was not included in the 2021 priority list in order to further explore the cost for equipment that range from $300 to $700 per item on the low end, and up to $3,000 to $8,000 per item on the high end.

Bergman said there is no clear picture yet on where matching funds would come from, and with the grand deadlines looming the priorities should go to other projects this year. Board members shared concerns that ranged from receiving negative community feedback on the idea to conducting more research into locations that target the most likely users.

In other business, committee member Mary Grace Loreti, said she would like to see the city find ways for pedestrians to cross U.S. 2 more safely. This would help improve safer access to trails and parks south of the highway, she said.

“It’s difficult even as an adult to cross U.S. 2,” she said.

The stoplights are timed so that people have approximately 20 seconds to cross the four-lane U.S. 2, she said. There should be a pedestrian crossing button to allow more time to cross traffic, she said.

Davey said that safer crossing recommendations were presented to the Michigan Department of Transportation during the U.S. 2 road reconstruction effort a few years ago. The feedback was that there could be no special crossings or extended stoplight times, he said.

Bergman said the conversation could always be raised again with MDOT in order to present concerns about vehicle speeds, safer crossings and that sidewalks match up when crossing roads. These are all concerns of the committee but the ultimate decision is up to MDOT, he said.

“We really don’t have a lot of say with what happens on the highway, but I agree that it is a hazard right now,” Bergman said. 

The next parks and recreation meeting will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, March 1. The virtual attendance link will be posted on the city of Ironwood website.