New trail to connect two parks along Lake Michigan

NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) — City officials in Norton Shores have approved a contract to start work on a new path connecting two parks along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The Lake Harbor Trail was introduced to the public earlier this year and, according to the council, has been met with plenty of support. The path will connect P.J. Hoffmaster State Park with Lake Harbor Park , using a new 8-foot-wide path.

In all, it will be just over 2 miles long, running along the west side of Lake Harbor Road from the Mona Lake Channel Bridge to Henry Street.

“A majority of the trail will be located within the public right-of-way, although there are a few properties where either temporary consent of access will be needed for grading or permanent easement for the trail or structures,” the city states on its website .

The Norton Shores City Council approved the bid last week , choosing Weick Brothers Excavating to run the project for approximately $1.7 million.

Weick Bros. was the second-lowest bid, but its reputation seems to have won out.

“Considering the two lowest bidders … had bid totals that were within 0.3% of each other; we evaluated them based on references from other municipalities and engineers that have worked with said bidders. The result of these references has led us to conclude that Weick Bros. Inc. is the most suitable of the two lowest bidders,” an advisor told James Murphy, the director of public works for the City of Norton Shores.

Work is expected to start this fall and wrap up between mid-summer and early fall of 2025. The project is already included in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year and will be covered by funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act.

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