News Photo by Steve Schulwitz From left to right, Alpena County commissioners John Kozlowski, Brenda Fournier, and Todd Britton conduct business at the Alpena County Finance meeting on Tuesday.

ALPENA — The Alpena County Board of Commissioners was expected to vote on drafting a letter in support of the proposed extension of 3rd Avenue in Alpena on Tuesday, but the plan was scratched.

Before approving the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting, the commissioners voted to remove the item, and the expansion project was never discussed or any action taken.

In September, the Alpena County Road Commission and Alpena Township revealed a plan that would extend 3rd Avenue out to Tamarack Road. The proposed project also included a roundabout near Barrington Circle. The road commission committed $1 million toward the project and Alpena Township expressed some interest in matching that amount. However, it has not allocated or even discussed any expenditure for the proposed street extension as a board, Township Supervisor Abbi Kaszubowski said.

The estimated cost of the proposed project is more than $2 million.

Supporters of the extension say it would make it easier for first responders to access the Thunder Bay Junior High School and the surrounding neighborhoods during an emergency.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer said after Tuesday’s meeting that the road commission requested a letter of support from the commissioners. However, the commissioners decided to further consider the matter and get more input from residents and more details about the project.

“I believe this board needs to have the time to go and talk to its constituents and learn more about it,” Osmer said. “We aren’t sure where the project is today, so I think this action was kind of premature.”

Road Commission Managing Director Ryan Brege said the plan is not dead, but there have been some changes in the way it needs to be executed.

Brege said in December, the road commission withdrew its application to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy for a permit to construct the road in a wetland area.

He said the federal government got involved in the project and now other steps are needed for a permit to be granted before construction could begin.

“The Environmental Protection Agency is asking for a wetland delineation study done by someone through EGLE and that would probably come as early as June,” Brege said. “The study would show what is wetland and what isn’t and then red flag the wetland. Ultimately it would result in less impact to the wetland.”

Early in the process, Brege said the $2 million would be enough to cover the cost of the project, but the addition of the roundabout, increased costs of materials, and a lack of financial commitment so far from the township, other sources of money need to be explored.

“We are pursuing the possibility of grant appropriations,” he said.

It is uncertain if and when the board of commissioners will chime in on the project and whether or not to support it.

When the news broke about the proposed road extension project, it was met with concern by many people, as well as from the officials of Alpena and the administration of the Alpena Public Schools. Both the city and school district expressed displeasure about not being included in the planning process for the project. Although the extension would be in the township, it could produce more traffic on nearby city streets. The school district is concerned about an increase in traffic flow near the school and the 55-mile-an-hour speed limit near the school and how they would impact the safety of students and staff.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.