Houghton Will Use $200,000 from the City’s ARPA Funds to Finish Work Along Lakeshore Drive

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government sent emergency funds to states, counties, and municipalities across the country. In 2022 when the city of Houghton received its 800,000 dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act leaders said they would not spend funds quickly. Most of those funds have been used by the city to make improvements to water and sewer systems and to match a portion of infrastructure grants. Houghton has approximately 300,000 dollars remaining from the ARPA funds.

“We did spend some of the funds for some water and sewer improvement project, recall, for the WRI grant we did last year and the year before. And so what this resolution would do is to commit 200,000 of those remaining funds to the Lakeshore Drive job, which also the trail, we’re going to completely redo the trail pretty much from the Lakeshore Circle to almost to Roy’s, widening it out, repaving it, re-leveling it and whatnot.” – Eric Waara, City Manager, City of Houghton

Houghton will have another 100,000 dollars to work with after appropriating 200,000 for the Lakeshore Drive MDOT grant match portion. Those funds will support the final projects on Lakeshore Drive, and repave the snowmobile trail along the canal near the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. Local governments have until December 31st this year to obligate any remaining ARPA funds. With projects funded by ARPA completed by 2026.