Cadillac officials are lining up a $1.2 million request to the state to restore red brick streets in the Courthouse Hill Historic District, targeting sections of Mason and Shelby streets where pavers have cracked.
The city plans to submit an application through the Michigan Transportation Alternatives Program at the end of September. Construction is planned for 2028 or 2029. City information describes the grant effort as a continuation of Cadillac’s work through the Walkability Virtual Academy Pilot Project, a program connected to the Center for Advancing Healthy Communities and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
The brick paver scope focuses on resetting historic brick on Mason Street from Simons Street to Shelby Street, and on Shelby Street from the top of the hill at Spruce Street to Harris Street. Alongside the brick street reconstruction, the project list includes removal of an abandoned water main, installation of ADA-accessible sidewalk ramps, concrete sidewalk improvements, tree plantings, and light poles.
Cadillac is requesting a $1.2 million award that requires a 20% local match. City materials put the total project cost at an estimated $1.5 million, with a $460,000 commitment included in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan. The city also lists engineering, construction testing, inspection, and future maintenance as city responsibilities.
For mason contractors and crews that work with brick pavers, projects like this place craft and durability in the public eye. Public owners also tie brick restoration to broader mobility goals, which puts a premium on coordination between paver work, curb and ramp transitions, and any utility removals in the same corridor.
Cadillac City Council approved a resolution supporting the grant program and authorized City Manager Marcus Peccia to sign for the application and related grant administration activities.
Read the full, original article from Cadillac News here.