TRAVERSE CITY — City commissioners will need voters' trust and backing to tackle the city's version of the Great Divide: design solutions for busy Division Street.
Commissioners this week agreed to proceed with a Nov. 6 ballot proposal that seeks up to 30 feet of city park land on the west side of Division Street between 8th and 14th streets to accommodate street changes to improve vehicle and pedestrian movement and safety.
City officials acknowledged it could be a tough sell to get voters to approve additional street right-of-way without an iron-clad design plan for Division. But they said the state Department of Transportation won't develop specific street proposals without knowing how much property it will have in hand.
"It's a real chicken-and-egg problem," City Manager Ben Bifoss said.
City resident Carol Hale chairs the joint city-township planning body for the Grand Traverse Commons area west of Division. She expects voters would back the proposal if they're convinced it will offer relief for traffic and safety woes.
"I think this is something the community will support to solve a problem," Hale said.
Bifoss said the city has until late August to work out ballot wording. It likely will include a restriction that no additional through-lanes can be added to the 4-lane state road. Provisions also would allow the city to use additional park land around the intersection at 11th Street if the city were to pursue a traffic roundabout there, but wouldn't commit the city to a particular design.
Commissioners won't place two other questions before city voters. One was another park land vote to make way for a potential route for the so-called "8½th Street" off Division as a main entrance to Munson Medical Center.
The idea was first raised more than a decade ago, but officials and residents said it was a controversial idea then and likely would be again.
City resident Dan Tholen, a former Grand Traverse Commons board member, said putting an 8½th Street proposal before voters in November would "greatly impair" the other Division Street ballot question and urged commissioners to shelve the idea for now.
The commission agreed.
"I think it's a back-burner type of thing," Commissioner Mary Ann Moore said.
Officials also said they wouldn't ask voters to allow them to sell excess land at Oakwood Cemetery on the city's east side. Moore raised the idea several weeks ago as a way to boost city revenue by converting the property for residential development. But it wouldn't generate as much as expected, as the city would have to share sale proceeds with other local taxing units.
Several neighbors also spoke against the proposal, citing increased traffic in the area. Moore said those concerns doused her support for the idea.
"I'm not enthusiastic about this any longer," she said.
Region
Division St. land on Nov. 6 ballot
Ballot proposal will seek park land on west side of street
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