LARRY OBRECHT BRIDGE S.B. 606:
ANALYSIS AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 606 (as reported without amendment)
RATIONALE
The Polly Ann Trail is a 14.2-mile trail that runs through northern Oakland County, connecting the communities of Orion Township, Oxford Township, the Village of Oxford, Addison Township, and the Village of Leonard. The trail was built on the abandoned Pontiac, Oxford, and Northern Railroad, which was sold to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the early 1990s. In more recent years, a pedestrian bridge was built to span M-24 and connect the northern and southern sections of the trail. Larry Obrecht, a former Oakland County Commissioner, oversaw the development and funding of the trail and the bridge. It has been suggested that the Polly Ann Trail bridge be named after Mr. Obrecht for his role in the creation of the trail and the bridge.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to name the bridge on Polly Ann Trail over highway M-24 in the Village of Oxford as the "Larry Obrecht Bridge".
The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
Larry Obrecht served as an Oakland County Commissioner until he resigned in 2009 to become the manager of the Oakland County Animal Control, from which he retired in March 2016. During his term on the Commission, Mr. Obrecht served as the first trail manager for the Polly Ann Trail and raised enough corporate funds to receive a matching Federal grant to create the trail and its bridge. The Polly Ann Trail is part of an important network of trails and greenways in southeastern Michigan, which provide an opportunity for affordable and accessible recreation, boost the local economy, and support environmental preservation. Adding a bridge to span M-24 and link the northern and southern sections of the trail was a requirement of the Department of Natural Resources, which oversaw that conversion of the former railroad bed to the trail during the 1990s, according to an article posted by The Oakland Press ("Project manager defends Polly Ann Trail bridge", 1-13-2005). Naming the bridge after Mr. Obrecht would be a fitting way to honor his role in the trail's development.
Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Siracuse
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.