The city of Benton Harbor has received a $1 million matching grant from the Michigan Infrastructure Office to support its $22 million federal BUILD Grant for the city’s waterfront infrastructure project.
Congressman Bill Huizenga announced this month the city is receiving nearly $23 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to fix up the Riverview Drive Corridor.
The Michigan Infrastructure Office’s Technical Assistance Center helped the city prepare its federal grant application by providing grant writing and benefit-cost analysis support. It says the project is intended to improve transportation, reduce flooding, and spur economic development along the city’s waterfront.
Planned improvements include removing and realigning flood-prone sections of Riverview Drive, raising roads, upgrading stormwater infrastructure, and improving emergency access. The project also calls for construction of a new riverfront promenade, trails linking neighborhoods and the downtown to the waterfront, and expanded green space.
Mayor Marcus Muhammad says the BUILD Grant “a once-in-a-generation investment” that will make the waterfront safer, more accessible, and more resilient to flooding while creating new opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors.
