Work set to begin on Utica’s pedestrian bridge

Hiking and biking through downtown Utica is about to become easier, as work is set to begin next week on a pedestrian bridge over the Clinton River. The bridge, a component of the 70-mile hike-and-bike trail throughout Macomb County, will connect the Macomb Orchard Trail to downtown Utica as well as the Clinton River Trail in Oakland County. It will provide pedestrians and bicyclists with a safe place to cross the river without having to navigate the busy Van Dyke/M-59 intersection. “The hike-and-bike trail is an amenity that enhances the quality of life for people way beyond the city of Utica,” says Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan. “People want walkable communities.” The bridge will be funded mostly by grants from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and is expected to be completed by this fall, Noonan says.She points out that Utica is one of the few downtowns on the 70-mile trail plan. It offers people the chance to stop in for some ice cream, visit the library, or make other stops. “It’s an enhancement directly to our downtown, to our community, and to the statewide trail system.”Source: Jacqueline Noonan, mayor of Utica Writer: Kristin Lukowski