SUPERIOR BOULEVARD to receive a facelift

The Tax Increment Finance Authority of the City of Taylor has approved $750,000 in roadway improvements for Superior Boulevard, between Racho Road and Telegraph Road.

The project is tentatively scheduled to begin in about two weeks (during the last week of July) and should be finished by Labor Day. As part of the renovation process, Superior may be totally closed or limited to one-way traffic at times.

TIFA funding could be used in this project because that deteriorating portion of Superior (see photo at right) lies in a TIFA district. The street is a major carrier of traffic for the Sportsplex, Southland Center and Kennedy High School. 

A “TIF” uses future gains in taxes to subsidize current improvements, which are projected to create the conditions for gains above the routine yearly increases which often occur without the improvements. The borrowing capacity is established by committing all normal yearly future real estate tax increases from every parcel in the TIF district (for 20–25 years, or more) along with the anticipated new tax revenue eventually coming from the project or projects themselves. 

“When the State of Michigan’s road funding plan stalled back in May, we couldn’t afford to sit and wait for them any longer,” said Mayor Sollars. “Our roads in Taylor are terrible, and the only thing we’ve been able to do is patch them. While we cannot afford major road replacements, we can do what are commonly referred to as ‘concrete cuts.’ That type of work really makes a difference.”

Similar roadwork has been occurring all over the community and will continue through the good weather months. After major improvements were done earlier this year on Racho Road (between Heritage Park and Southland Center, see photo below), contractor Fiore Construction repaired heavily traveled Leroy Street, which is located south of Eureka, between Beech Daly and Inkster. Other spots included work in the

northwest part of the City, south of Ecorse and east of Beech. In addition, Wayne County, Taylor and the City of Southgate combined on the Allen Road rehabilitation work between Northline and Goddard roads.

Next year, the county has agreed to move up the repairs of Eureka Road, west of Racho to Allen, to match the Menards’ development coming into the community. Menards is replacing the old Gibraltar Trade Center. Upcoming will also be work on Pardee Road between Eureka and Superior, which is also being supported by funds from TIFA. Mayor Sollars has said that once that TIFA work is done on Pardee (and it will also include sidewalk installation), the City plans to extend those street repairs father north at a date to be determined in the future.

For updates on these projects, monitor www.cityoftaylor.com.