The Eureka Road Corridor Project is well under way as crews are replacing the existing drainage culvert under Racho Road at the Frank & Poet Drain crossing.

This phase of the project is progressing. However, note that the current road closure at Racho Road, just north of Eureka Road, is expected to remain in place throughout the holiday season.

In addition to the Racho Road culvert replacement, contractors have also commenced key improvements within the open channel portion of the Frank & Poet Drain. These enhancements are aimed at improving erosion, bank failures and sediment deposition, working towards a more stable and efficient drainage system.

Off-site mitigation improvements within the Lakes of Taylor Golf Course will begin this winter as well. These improvements were a State of Michigan-permitting requirement designed to mitigate areas where the Frank & Poet Drain is planned to be enclosed.

The City and its contractors understand the disruption this construction may cause and truly appreciates everyone’s cooperation. These improvements will make a lasting positive impact for everyone.

The Eureka Road project, delayed almost five years, restarted after Labor Day.

The initial phase of that plan started years ago with new infrastructure along Eureka– roadwork related to Trader’s Point that included signage, traffic signals, etc. But then the permitting for the largest portion of the project, enclosing a portion of the Frank & Poet Drain, slowed everything to a snail’s pace.

Preliminary work earlier this year included erosion control, clearing and grubbing. Culvert work started with the Racho Road. Construction of all of the culverts will take over 280 working days and include lane closures while maintaining access to businesses.

Street scaping will go up along Eureka Road including new sidewalks, retaining walls, electrical, trees and shrubs. The project is scheduled to be under construction through the second quarter of 2027, although contractors emphasized that much of the construction work and road closures would be “rolling” and fluid.

The original plan came as a result of a September 2020 settlement reached in a decades-long legal tussle involving the Northline Road Agreement. That agreement created a then-$17M project in improvements along Eureka Road be done over several years. That plan is a partnership between the City’s TIFA and Wayne County.

Tax increment financing (TIF) is a tool used by municipal governments to stimulate development in a specific geographical area. They are used mainly for community and/or economic development purposes. When a TIF district is established, the base amount of future property tax revenue is recorded using the status before improvements, according to Nexus, the National Housing Conference Guide. As these districts become successful, property values within their boundaries rise, leading to actual property tax receipts above the base.

While the original base property tax revenue continues to fund City services, the increase can be used elsewhere – to pay bonds, reimburse investors. or to be captured to fund other projects within the district. That’s the huge benefit of TIFA financing – it “self-finances” redevelopment or enhancement projects without imposing new taxes.

Taylor’s TIFA helped build the City Hall campus, DPW building, Sportsplex and both golf courses, among many other things. TIFA board members are appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council.