Michigan’s major state park revitalization plan hit by price spikes

Belle Isle Conservatory is under construction at a park in Detroit, Michigan. (Kristen Bennett / Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Michigan is rolling out a major state park revitalization campaign, but steep inflation is forcing the state’s park officials to drastically scale back their plans.

The state’s Department of Natural Resources is energized by an infusion of $250 million courtesy of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The money will be directed at enhancing Michigan’s state parks and even expanding the state park system. For example, a new park is being built in the city of Flint, DNR says.

However, a DNR official confirmed for Public Parks that recent inflation is forcing big revisions to the agency’s park reconstruction and revitalization plans. The ARPA money must be dedicated by the end of this year and spent before 2027.

“We are experiencing costs that are averaging 28 percent over budget,” said DNR spokesperson Kristen Bennett. “This is forcing us to make very hard decisions to either supplement the funding on a project with state funds or reduce the scope of the project all together.”

Visitor boom, maintenance bust

The massive infusion of ARPA cash arrives just in time.

Bennett said state parks throughout Michigan experienced 30 percent growth in visitation and use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state park system was already contending with a lengthy backlog of needed repairs and maintenance when this visitation boom occurred, adding further wear and tear to parks’ infrastructure.

Now that the state has the time and money to fix the parks, it’s wasting no time.

DNR recently put out a release warning state park visitors to expect closures or other disruptions to access for at least the next two years as the work gets underway. The coming summer gives DNR the window it needs to improve roads, trails, and campgrounds while making badly needed upgrades.

DNR is apologizing for launching dozens of state park upgrade projects at once, but the agency says time is of the essence.

“This is much like a race against time to design, bid, and plan these projects in such a short timeframe,” said DNR’s parks and recreation lead Ron Olson. “The ARPA funds must be committed by December 31, 2024, and spent on those projects by December 31, 2026.”

Olson said getting the projects done on time and budget “requires careful planning, broad action, and thorough execution.”

Michigan DNR is also in a race against inflation. Though the agency is already struggling with a 28 percent spike in costs, recent economic data released by the federal government shows that costs are continuing to rise relatively quickly for everyone.

Long list of backlog projects

Olson is advising that state park visitors check the Michigan.gov/DNRClosures website before heading out. Some of the parks would-be visitors could be aiming might be temporarily closed to all visitors during construction. That website will also include general information on how state park enhancement projects could require partial access restrictions. DNR says announcements will be made daily.

The list of projects is long. It includes some $3 million to be spent on improving roads and electrical infrastructure at Brighton Recreation Area. Another $4.26 million project will force the closure of most of Ludington State Park for almost a year. Though Ludington is a popular recreation spot on the shores of Lake Michigan “enhancements that include paving, park expansion, and improved traffic and pedestrian flow at the park’s main entrance will close the majority of the park September 3, 2024, to July 1, 2025,” DNR is warning.

Other work is planned for McLain State Park, Port Crescent State Park, Fort Custer Recreation Area, and many other Michigan state parks.

Great progress, despite inflation

Bennett said the most expensive single project on DNR’s to-do list is a $12.5 million upgrade to a stretch of hiking trail some 26 miles long between Muskegon and Marne. More than $35 million is being spent on seven separate projects to rebuild parts of Belle Isle Park in Detroit.

Despite the 28 percent inflation bite to its original plans, Bennett insists that the money being spent will still help DNR get caught up on its maintenance backlog by about 13 years.

“We want to get as much done as possible while understanding what we fund today with state funds may mean a future project or park location may not get their project done for a few more years,” she said. “The decisions are hard, but this is all positive direction for our system.”