M37 Project

I am a lifetime resident of the Kent City – Sparta area and have driven M-37 from Kent City to Grand Rapids hundreds of times. Recently I noticed that the State or County has blocked off the trail on the Western part of the right-of-way. There have been trees planted and fences installed as well as other erosion protection measures. Over the years, I often observed ATV's, snowmobiles, motorcycles and horses using this trail for recreation. Blocking this trail is such a waste of our greatly limited tax dollars. I know some will say this was done to protect the environment, but this trail has not significantly changed in at least 35 years, despite it being open for use. Others will claim that this use of tax dollars was a matter of safety. Yes, I am also concerned for the well-being of citizens on these alternative types of transportation, but they are not illegal and as consumers, I am sure they understand the risks. Why deny citizens the use of this property and more importantly why spend our severely limited tax dollars on such an unnecessary project?