Traverse City commissioners Monday will consider approving a recommendation from the city engineer to hire Elmer’s Crane & Dozer to complete a $1.8 million reconstruction of Garland Street in downtown Traverse City this spring.

Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members unanimously approved Elmer’s for the job in a special meeting Friday morning, with the proposal now heading to city commissioners for final approval. City Engineer Tim Lodge told DDA members the city received two bids on the project, which calls for converting Garland Street into a two-lane boulevard that exits onto Union Street instead of Grandview Parkway. The new street will be a “woonerf,” a Dutch term for a shared street that is equally comfortable to pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles. It will feature a special stamped and colored street finish evocative of textured cobblestone or brick – a complex patterning process Lodge said was less expensive than actual brick and more aesthetically pleasing than concrete, but that also contributed to the higher-than-expected bid costs.

Elmer’s and Mt. Pleasant’s Crawford Contracting both bid on the project, with total estimates coming in roughly $300,000 over the $1.5 million budgeted for reconstruction. Lodge recommended Elmer’s due to the company’s slightly lower estimated material costs and higher level of engagement with city staff about construction details.

The higher-than-expected project cost will require the DDA – which is funding the bulk of the project through its TIF 97 fund – to potentially borrow up to $400,000 from the TIF 2 fund in a one-year interfund loan to cover the additional expense. The exact loan amount will depend on whether Traverse City Light & Power agrees to help fund project costs. City staff are scheduled to appear before the TCL&P board on April 12 to request that the utility contribute $320,000 for street lights for the project.

Should all of the construction contracts be approved and finalized as planned, Elmer’s could start construction as soon as this month, beginning on the west end of the Warehouse District by Hall Street and moving eastward. The city’s goal is to complete the bulk of construction by July; however, Lodge warned delays were possible if crews encountered environmental contamination underground.

Lodge acknowledged the project was likely to inconvenience property owners in the Warehouse District, but said he was “pretty sure they know the pain is coming” and that the city’s goal was to “peel the Band-Aid off quick.” Completing the project as quickly as possible will help business owners enjoy the benefits of the new boulevard, Lodge said, which city staff hope will draw visitors to the Warehouse District and better connect the businesses there to the Front Street area.

“While it isn’t desirable to interrupt the flow (of traffic), it’s better just to get it done and move on,” Lodge said.