BELLEVILLE, Mich. – Local 4 News is getting out of the studio and hitting the road to be In Your Neighborhood! We’re showcasing what makes our communities great!
Belleville is known for its largest inland lake, Belleville Lake, and with that gem comes a hot topic: A bridge in disrepair that needs to be replaced.
It’s going to be an expensive fix, but some say it has to be done to improve life on land and on Belleville Lake.
Related: In Your Neighborhood: What makes Belleville so great
“It’s going to be beautiful,” said resident Robert Kenyon. “Once it’s done, I know there is millions and millions of dollars that’s going to be thrown at it to make sure it’s safe and beautiful once again.”
Kenyon is a lifelong resident of Belleville. He says his friends and family love the lake, but in the next year or two, the use of the lake could be limited because of bridge repairs.
“They’ve kind of planned to get it done in the next two years by 2025,” said City Manager Jason Smith. “It’s about a $12 and a half million project. Thankfully, the state has stepped up big time with their budget and earmarked 10 million for us to get that project done. Obviously, we won’t be able to use that side of the lake while there’s machinery in the water.”
Smith, like many city officials throughout Metro Detroit, is dealing with transportation and development issues in his city.
Another big issue in Belleville is traffic. A lot of communities can relate to an intersection that gets backed up.
“The problem that we have is that traffic just doesn’t flow the way it really should to be efficient,” Smith said.
The city is considering roundabouts as a potential solution and like other communities, residents have all different opinions on roundabouts.
The hot topics here are all because so many want to visit Belleville, live here, and use the resources, so growing pains are acceptable.
“I love the water. I love the people,” Kenyon said. “My family lives here. Kids went to school here. I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”
---> More In Your Neighborhood feature stories
---> In Your Neighborhood: Which Metro Detroit community should we visit next?