A ribbon cutting ceremony is set for Thursday at 2 p.m. to mark the completion of phase two of the Huron River Drive Road Improvement Project in New Boston.
“While the street will remain closed through the weekend to accommodate the annual Huron Township Applefest, it will re-open on schedule to the general public on Monday, Oct. 3,” said David Glaab, Huron Township supervisor.
The improvements to this stretch of Huron River Drive from the intersection at Waltz and Hannan Roads east through downtown New Boston to Kass Street include a total rebuild of Huron River Drive and its sidewalks, as well as the installation of new street lights.
Also included in the project was the removal of the utility poles and wires that clogged the downtown skyline.
The utilities were relocated underground.
“We continue to work toward enhancing walkability and pedestrian safety throughout downtown New Boston while facilitating connectivity with the Metro Parks. Additionally, a much more inviting environment has been created to strengthen existing business and to attract future economic development,” Glaab said.
Phase one of the project was completed last fall and consisted of similar improvements to Huron River Drive from the same intersection north to Huron Dental.
That’s how long it takes for a child to board a school bus.
I know because I personally timed it on my stopwatch when I did a ride along with Huron Township police on Monday morning.
Since school started, there have been a rash of drivers passing schools buses that are stopped on area roads.
11 seconds is what these impatient drivers are saving during their commutes, when they pass a bus that’s stopped with red flashing lights.
To these drivers, saving 11 seconds is more important to them than the safety of our children, and local police are doing what they can to crack down on the issue.
On Monday morning, police conducted a bus operation by following all of the bus routes in the township.
My ride along began at about 5:45 a.m. on Monday with a briefing at the police station.
A group of officers gathered to discuss the bus routes and make their plan of action for the morning, and then it was off to patrol the roads.
Not only were there extra patrol units following each bus route in the township, but multiple buses also had an officer on board to relay information to the officers in the police cars.
Once the briefing was finished, I got into an unmarked Huron police SUV with Police Chief Everette Robbins in the driver’s seat.
When we hit the roads, it only took a matter of a few bus stops until I witnessed the first violator drive right past a school bus stopped on Middle Belt Road.
The egregious thing about this driver is that they didn’t even slow down for the bus.
They blew right past the bus going 45 mph. It was shocking and sad to see.
The driver, who was a resident from a local community, blamed their actions on the wet roads when an officer approached their vehicle.
They actually claimed they were scared to stop for the bus.
It was raining on this morning, but that’s no excuse for not stopping.
It makes no sense.
In instances like these, police can write reckless driving tickets due to the manner in which a driver passes the bus.
Fair warning to drivers: if you fly past a bus, you are likely going to get a reckless driving offense in Huron Township.
During the remainder of the morning, police nabbed a second driver for passing another stopped bus.
That’s two drivers on Monday morning who disregarded a bus stop.
Police say that this has happened just about every morning since school has started, and if you read this publication regularly, you’ve probably seen the multiple reports we’ve published on the issue.
Seeing this happen makes me mad and I want to do what I can to make people aware of what’s happening.
Parents have some power over this.
By standing with their children and helping them get onto the bus safely, we can make sure our children are safe.
Unfortunately during my ride along, I witnessed a young boy, maybe in first grade, who was out by the busy road all by himself waiting for the bus.
I watched as the young school student had to make the choice for himself, to cross the road to get onto the bus.
No parents were anywhere in sight, no adults even outside at the time. No one was there to pull him back, in case a driver made a bad decision at that very moment.
I was stunned.
Adults should be out at the bus stop with their children, especially with younger school students.
To me, that’s an obvious thing to do. It’s a parent’s duty.
A few positive things I gathered during my ride along: most stops did have adults standing with their students.
Additionally, many drivers were extremely cautious as they approached bus stops.
Some drivers stopped well before the red lights were even flashing.
Well done, to them.
Also, according to police, not one Huron Township resident has been caught passing a school bus this year.
That says a lot about the families that live in the township.
We care about the kids in our community, and so does our law enforcement.
By bringing more attention to this issue, maybe we’ll be able to solve it.
Thanks to the Huron Township police for letting me ride with them this week.
Two motorists passed stopped schools buses in Huron Township Friday morning, and local law enforcement is saying enough is enough.
“We certainly will be reaching out to lawmakers to see what can be done,” said Everette Robbins, director of public safety. “Enough is enough.”
A Taylor resident passed a stopped bus early Friday morning near Sibley Road and Vining.
Robbins said the driver “apologized after.”
Later in the morning, a Romulus resident with an expired license plate and no proof of insurance passed a bus near Sibley and Merriman Road.
“These two are probably the most egregious yet. These were not mistakes, they didn’t even slow down. It makes me sick to my stomach to watch. You can hear people beeping horns and yelling in the video, and it makes no difference,” Robbins said.
Below is dash cam video of the drivers passing the buses.
Do you have questions about the upcoming fire department millage renewal? Send them to ScottBolthouse@HuronHub.com and they’ll be forwarded to the public safety director.
The Huron Hub is hosting a question and answer session regarding the upcoming millage renewal for the fire department that will appear on the ballot in November.
The recurrence of motorists passing stopped school buses in Huron Township is “happening more frequently than I can ever remember before,” says Everette Robbins, director of public safety.
The department has pulled over and cited more than a half dozen drivers for passing stopped buses since the school year has started.
It’s becoming a dangerous daily occurrence on the local township roads during pickup and drop off times.
Another driver passed a stopped bus Tuesday afternoon, and another one on Wednesday morning.
“The majority of the offenses are on the main roads within the township that have the highest traffic volume and speed limits. It is truly hard to understand,” Robbins said.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Westland woman was pulled over on Sibley Road and told police “I knew I should have stopped,” after she drove past the bus.
On Wednesday morning, a Detroit resident was pulled over again in Sibley Road, for passing a bus, and a background check of the driver revealed a suspended driver’s license.
A motorist gets pulled over for passing a stopped bus on Tuesday afternoon on Sibley Road. Footage courtesy Huron Township Police.A driver with a suspended license gets pulled over Wednesday morning.
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It’s like deja vu in Huron Township with more drivers passing school buses with stop lights flashing.
Two more drivers were caught by police this week passing stopped school buses on the local roads.
One driver from Woodhaven was caught Monday morning on Sibley Road, and another driver from Dearborn flew by a stopped bus on Middle Belt Road Tuesday morning.
Here is police dash cam footage showing both drivers passing the buses:
A motorist from Woodhaven passes a stopped school bus on Sibley Road on Monday morning. Video courtesy Huron Township Police.A motorist from Dearborn traveling on Middle Belt Road passes a stopped bus on Tuesday morning.
When police asked the Dearborn resident why they didn’t stop for the bus with the lights on, she responded: “what lights?” according to Everette Robbins, Huron Township director of public safety.
“That’s two stops in two days. Hard to believe that adults would put our kids in danger to save a couple minutes. 99 out of 100 drivers would never do do this, but it would only take that one to create a tragedy,” Robbins said. “We will continue to conduct proactive enforcement and hold these drivers accountable as much as the law allows.”
Three drivers were caught passing stopped school buses this week in Huron Township.
Huron Township police have been following the school bus routes this week and sharing videos of the drivers who are somehow missing the bright flashing red lights and the “stop” sign.
One driver passed a bus on Tuesday morning, another one on Thursday morning, and a third driver on Friday morning.
Below is video of the Friday morning driver, who is a resident of Detroit, that passed a bus just before 6:45 a.m. near Sibley and Merriman Road.
A motorist from Detroit passes a school bus Friday morning in Huron Township. Video courtesy Huron Township police.
Everette Robbins, Huron Township director of public safety, says the police department is doing their best to catch the drivers who ignore school bus stop signs.
“I know we can’t get them all, but we are trying. The more attention we bring to this, maybe someone will think twice,” he said.
Here is an update on the Huron River Drive construction project. This update was provided from Township Hall.
NOTICE – September 7, 2022
Huron River Drive Construction Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Downtown New Boston Improvement Project is progressing very well.
HRD will be closed from Kass to Violet beginning Friday, September 9, 2022. Springline will begin paving the north lane of HRD from Kass to Violet. We are anticipating paving will begin on Saturday, September 10, 2022. You will not have access to your drives for approximately a week.
The stretch of Huron River Drive from Violet to Waltz will continue to be closed until all of the road paving is completed. It is estimated to take about two weeks.
The northbound lane of Waltz will be closed in order to complete the paving of the east half of the intersection. We anticipate the paving of the intersection will begin on Monday, September 12, 2022.
Tentative Work Schedule Week of September 5:
Completed
Form and pave the north side of HRD from Kass to Violet and the east half of Waltz intersection.
Finish grading and installing the stone base on the north side of HRD from Violet to Waltz.
AT&T and Charter completed 90% of the installation of the new underground lines. They are expected to have all of the underground lines installed this week.
Tentative Work Schedule week of September 12:
DTE will begin installing the underground electrical.
Complete the paving of the north lane of HRD from Violet to Waltz.
While we apologize for any short-term inconvenience this may cause, we hope you will share our enthusiasm for much needed improvements to our roads in Downtown New Boston. If you have any questions or concerns during the project, please contact the on-site Hennessey Engineers representatives, Adam Kmiecik at (734) 365-3614 or Charles Smith at (734) 365-3553. You can also send an email to construction@hengineers.com.
During the Nov. 8 general election, Huron Township residents will see a fire department millage renewal on the ballots.
This is a renewal of the existing operating millage.
Currently, the Huron Township Fire Department has funding for 30 fire personnel with three of those positions slated for full-time paramedics.
At least one paramedic is on duty within the township 24 hours a day and supplemented by part-time paramedics, part-time EMT’s, and/or part-time firefighters.
If the millage is passed by the voters, current fire coverages and staffing levels can be maintained.
“We are very fortunate to have a well-trained, dedicated, and professional group of men and women who never fail to be there when we need them the most. As a resident myself, I know that the biggest show of support I can give them is the ability to continue serving our community by supporting this millage renewal,” said Everette Robbins, Huron Township director of public safety. “I would encourage anyone with questions or concerns to contact me directly. Residents can stop in to talk at the police department, call me at 734-753-4400, or email me at erobbins@hurontwppd.us”
Here’s the ballot language:
FIRE MILLAGE RENEWAL
Shall the previous voted increase in the total tax rate limitation that may be imposed for all purposes upon property in the Charter Township of Huron, Wayne County, Michigan, as reduced to 1.9595 mills ($1.95 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted 2.0051 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of twenty (20) years, the years 2023 to 2042, both inclusive, to provide funds for the operation and maintenance of the fire department; which levy will raise in the first year of the levy approximately $1,338,273. (THIS IS A RENEWAL OF FIRE MILLAGE PRESENTLY BEING LEVIED.)
A moron with a driver’s license forgot to abide by one of the most sacred rules of the roads Tuesday morning and we’re all glad they got caught.
Huron Township Police made a social media post on Tuesday letting the community know that someone passed a stopped school bus on the first day of classes.
“It took us only minutes into the first day to catch an offender passing a school bus with it’s emergency lights activated. We are following random bus routes and we will issue citations, ZERO TOLERANCE!” the department said in their post.
Here is video of the driver. How they missed the giant yellow bus, and bright flashing lights, is beyond us.
Huron Township police dash cam video shows a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus Tuesday morning.
During last school year, The Huron Hub reported on multiple incidents regarding drivers passing stopped school buses.
It’s getting tiring.
A message to all drivers: don’t do it. Don’t be a moron.
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