Why planners are building a new road into the Grand Traverse Commons instead of using one that's already there.

The Grand Traverse Commons and Munson Medical Center in Traverse City get a lot of visitors, but getting in and out of the area isn't always quick and easy.

Planners are working on building a new road into the Grand Traverse Commons, but a viewer wanted to know, why don't they just re-open and repair a road that already exists and maybe save time and money in the process?

The answer is tonight's Fact Finder Report.

For years city and county planners have been working on a plan to help relieve traffic congestion on Division Street by building a new entrance into the Grand Traverse Commons from Silver Lake Road.

The current plan is to extend Franke Road, that's the road that runs behind Meijer, into the commons by the barns. In fact this year, the road commission built a new traffic signal there in anticipation of an extension.

But just down the hill from Franke Road is what's left of road that used to serve the same purpose: Elmwood.

City Planner Russ Soyring says, "it's probably 15-20 years ago we closed the road."

From this locked gate at Silver Lake Road, you can see north along a decaying stretch of Elmwood as drivers are forced to turn and head to Division.

A viewer wanted to know why don't planners just re-pair and re-open Elmwood instead of building a new road?

Planners say they did get down to the bottom of it, and that's where the problem lies.

Soyring says, "Elmwood was built on a wetland so we have really spongy soil underneath the road bed and muck soil so it's really hard to maintain a surface. If we paved the surface it would break down, if we put gravel it would create potholes quite quickly."

That's why it was closed in the first place. It was too expensive to maintain, especially after a lawsuit where a driver got into an accident on that stretch of road and sued the city for poor maintenance.

But as the commons began to be redeveloped, there was renewed interest in reopening Elmwood. But planners say there were other factors for abandoning the plan besides the road's poor foundation.

One reason? It would be a quick and easy way to bypass Division. Too quick and easy.

Soyring says, "For years, the slabtown residents have been concerned that if Elmwood was opened back up it would be a straight shot from Meijer to the Bay front."

Planners worried drivers would use it not as a new way to get into the commons, but as a way through the commons. A shortcut to the bay, but on a road and through a neighborhood not designed to handle high traffic volume.

Meanwhile the Franke Road plan takes a different approach.

Soyring says "what we're trying to do is design a road that's narrow and slow. So connectivity is great but we want it to go at a slow quiet speed."

Slow and quiet is exactly what planners also have in mind for the future of Elmwood itself.

Soyring says, "The master plan for the Grand Traverse commons calls for a trail to go through there so we're still intending to use it for public purposes, just not for motor vehicles."

So there are no plans to allow cars on that part of Elmwood, but the plans for Franke Road are moving forward.

The city must submit its plan to the state. If the state approves the plan it will transfer the right of way to the city. Only then can planners get funding and develop a time line for construction, so it's still too early to nail down those details.

If you would like to see the plan for the Grand Traverse Commons, click here for the Franke Road Plan and click here for an overview of the area.

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