<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4Z0I2p_1H4buQvr00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Z0I2p_1H4buQvr00" width="893" height="445" ><figcaption>The Perry Pathway bridge was set in place on Nov.3. Photo: Patrick McAbee</figcaption></figure>Atlas Twp. — The missing link connecting Goodrich and Atlas Township with Grand Blanc Township and the city of Grand Blanc is now in place. Crews eased the centerpiece into position on Nov. 3 during the installation of a new pedestrian bridge.Constructed by Contech Engineering in Alexandria, Minn., the 58-foot-long, 14-foot-wide prefabricated steel truss bridge weighs 26,000 pounds and rests on pilings driven 85 feet below ground.“We are thrilled to announce that the new walking trail bridge connecting Atlas and Grand Blanc Townships is nearly complete,” said Jim Busch, Atlas Township supervisor. “This milestone project creates a safe, scenic pathway for residents to walk, run, and bike between our communities. Whether you are heading out for an evening stroll, visiting local parks, or connecting with friends and neighbors across the way, our communities are now closer than ever.”Once officially opened, the bridge will provide hikers, runners and bicyclists with a seamless trek from M-15 in Goodrich to Grand Blanc. Local officials are targeting a ribbon-cutting for the final leg of the Perry Road pathway in early December.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=167L9q_1H4buQvr00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=167L9q_1H4buQvr00" width="1537" height="1176" ><figcaption>A crane swings the 13-ton bridge over Thread Creek onto pilings, Nov. 3 in Atlas Township. Photo: Provided.</figcaption></figure>“This serves as the missing link connecting Goodrich and Atlas Township with Grand Blanc Township and the City,” said Patrick Linihan, Genesee County Parks director.Significant progress on the route began in 2024 with the completion of a 2-mile section connecting the existing Gale Road trail in Atlas to the Perry Road section, reaching a point near Mancour Drive east of Grand Blanc Middle School. Earlier this March, crews cleared trees and outlined the final direction of the trail.Paulette Johnson, co-chair of the Walk, Bike, Run Atlas Township group, highlighted the project’s impact on community health and safety, noting that the committee has worked diligently to bring resident-requested trails to life.“Thank you to all our supporters over the years,” said Johnson. “The interest from the community in getting this completed is very encouraging, many are asking when will this all be open.”The push for the pathways dates back to 2014, when Johnson and others coordinated an extensive communitywide survey using social media to gauge resident interest. Soon after, Atlas Township voters passed a one-eighth mill — roughly $6 per year for a $100,000 home — which generated about $33,292 annually to fund the pathways. This trails millage was the first of its kind in Genesee County and one of only a few in Michigan.Although the original millage expired in 2023, township voters recently renewed the Recreational Trails millage for the next 10 years, passing it by a vote of 2,551 to 1,891. It will raise an estimated $59,000 in its first year.Beyond the physical benefits of the trail, Johnson said the economic advantages are significant.“We are yet to see the economic side of the trail system between Grand Blanc and Atlas townships,” she said. “This is our first connection, I expect a lot to happen. Consider you’re living in Atlas Township people will be stopping at local stores for a pop or ice cream, it’s not big first, but once they start seeing bicyclists on the trains pull up, it will only get bigger. Or, just stopping and resting along the way, there are many, many options.”The ultimate goal of the project was to provide a direct, non-motorized transportation alternative between the village of Goodrich, Atlas Township and Grand Blanc.In addition to local millage dollars, funding came from a Transportation Alternatives Program grant, a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. In June 2025, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation announced more than $1 million in grants to expand non-motorized trails in Genesee County, including $270,000 dedicated specifically to the Perry Road Trail.Contributors included, Grand Blanc Township, IBT Fund/MITCA and the Grand Blanc Grid,Zito Construction won the bid from Genesee County Road Commission for the whole project and subcontracted the bridge, placement and asphalt to complete the job on Perry Road phase.Utilizing existing trails and new connections like the Perry Road Pathway, the Iron Belle Trail now extends more than 2,000 miles from the far western tip of the Upper Peninsula to Belle Isle in Detroit, featuring dedicated routes for both bicycling and hiking.</div></body>

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Atlas Twp. — The missing link connecting Goodrich and Atlas Township with Grand Blanc Township and the city of Grand Blanc is now in place. Crews eased the centerpiece into position on Nov. 3 during the installation of a new pedestrian bridge. Constructed by Contech Engineering in Alexandria, Minn.,...

Atlas Township pathway bridge completes local regional connection

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Atlas Twp. — The missing link connecting Goodrich and Atlas Township with Grand Blanc Township and the city of Grand Blanc is now in place. Crews eased the

Atlas Township pathway bridge completes local regional connection

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