“Brand new pavement. Also going to be installing new benches, new refuse containers, as well as wayfinding signage to improve users’ experience.”
Kentwood City Manager Brad Boomstra says a two-mile stretch of trail will close from the trailhead at Wing Avenue and 60th Street to 44th Street Southeast and Kalamazoo through the end of June.
“Additionally, there will be some improvements to the boardwalk and some necessary storm sewer repairs. And then it’s also going to include some work at East Paris Park near East Paris and 60th Street.”
Though portions are still under construction, the Thornapple Trail, when complete, will stretch through three counties and span 42 miles.
Despite tariffs on certain materials entering the U.S., Boomstra says they didn’t have any issues finding affordable material for the project.
“Prices actually came in a bit under the engineer’s estimate, so we’re happy with the contractor and the price that we got, but there’s not a lot of materials on this job that aren’t readily available.”
The project is being funded in part by a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and Kentwood’s 2022 voter-approved parks millage.
