The Michigan portion of the Marquette Greenway Trail is set to begin construction in April of this year. The trail is a 58-mile project that will connect Chicago to Southwest Michigan. The project is funded by a variety of sources, including federal grants, state grants, municipal funds, private donations, and foundation grants. $17.8 million has been awarded to the Indiana part by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program.
The Illinois portion is complete, and the Indiana portion is still under construction. The trail is scheduled to be complete by 2027.
The Michigan portion is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is the route from New Buffalo to Grand Beach, which will be worked on first and is expected to be complete by the end of 2024. Phase 2 is the route from Grand Beach to the Indiana border. It is in the pre-development stage and is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.
There are long-term goals of a potential expansion to connect Southwest Michigan to the Mackinac Bridge in the future.
This is a transformational project that is expected to give the region many economic and recreational benefits while providing a beautiful view of Lake Michigan.
