The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments announces the availability of the Leelanau Scenic Heritage Route Trailway Plan and Environmental Assessment beginning on October 1, 2008. This document describes and analyzes alternative locations for a non-motorized trailway along highways M-22 and M-109 in Leelanau County. The proposed trailway would begin at Manning Road on the Leelanau-Benzie County line and end at County Road 651 at the north end of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The trailway would be entirely on public lands in the National Lakeshore or on county road or state highway rights-of-way.

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments encourages you to comment on the Trailway Plan and EA until the comment period closes on October 31, 2008. The document may be reviewed on the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments website at www.nwm.org/lshr.asp or at the following link: Trailway Plan and EA. Paper copies are available for review at the National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Empire; the offices of Empire, Glen Arbor, Cleveland, and Centerville Townships; the Village of Empire Office, the Glen Lake Community Library (Empire), the Leland Township Library, and the Leelanau County Planning and Community Development Department. Comments may be sent to the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments by email to Patty O’Donnell (at the email address identified on their website) or by mail (Patty O’Donnell, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, P.O. Box 506, Traverse City, MI 49685-0506). Comments may also be sent to the National Lakeshore (Superintendent, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire, MI 49630), or sent electronically at the following link: Trailway Plan and EA.  Additionally, comments may be provided at a public open house to be held on Thursday, October 16 at the Glen Arbor Township Hall in Glen Arbor, from 1:00 - 8:00 p.m. 

A news release announcing the available of the Trailway Plan and EA may be viewed by clicking on the following link: Trailway Plan and EA News Release.

For more information, contact the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments at 231-929-5039 or the National Lakeshore headquarters at 231-326-5134.