Dexter Planning Commission Approves Site Plans for Main, Central Street Rehabilitation

The Dexter Village Planning Commission is recommending that village officials move forward with two street rehabilitation projects in 2012.

The commission voted to approve site plans for Main Street and Central Street at its meeting Tuesday night.

Rehabilitating Main Street will cost roughly $334,000, according to information provided to the Dexter Village Council. The project includes milling and resurfacing Main Street from Jeffords Street to Baker Road; removing and replacing 12 crosswalks with stamped concrete; widening lanes to accommodate shared bike and vehicle lanes; improving pedestrian push-button crosswalk signals; and other beautification improvements.

"It seems to me that this is a pretty important project," said Allison Bishop, community development director. "Main Street is the bread and butter of Dexter. I think if our goal is to get people downtown, improvements for pedestrians should have a little priority."

During the Village Council's Dec. 27 meeting, President Shawn Keough requested that the council project in favor of reconstructing Edison Street.

"(Edison Street) needs attention, or it will be a maintenance issue for years to come," Keough said in a previous statement.

The council will hold a work session at 6:30 p.m. Monday prior to its meeting at the to discuss the Edison Street recommendation.

Central Street's rehabilitation has been on the village's capital improvement project list since 2004. The entire project is expected to cost $1.3 million and will be phased in during the next several years. Phase 1, which includes Central Street from Huron Street past Second Street, is slated to begin construction in 2012. The project includes minor streetscape and roadway improvements.

In other action

• The Planning Commission set a public hearing to review its five-year Capital Improvement Plan. The hearing will be held during the commission's regular meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 6. Copies of the plan can be reviewed by contacting village offices at 734-426-8303.