The city of East Lansing has received the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Celebration of Regional Growth Award for the Coleman Road Extension project.
Mariana Bittencourt
From left to right: Steven Japinga, Mayor Ron Bacon, city manager George Lahanas and Tim Daman.The ceremony was at the Hannah Engagement Center during a council meeting on Feb. 22. The president of the chamber, Tim Daman, and the senior vice president of public affairs, Steven Japinga, presented the award.
It recognized the Coleman Road extension, which connected downtown to the northern tier of businesses. The road opened in October 2020, but the presentation was postponed 15 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Daman, the award celebrates economic development projects throughout the region and job creation investments, and this extension is a significant development opportunity for the city.
“Again, a very collaborative, very positive investment throughout the region and we’re pleased to be here tonight to present the award,” said Daman.
Mayor Ron Bacon accepted the award and highlighted the collaborative efforts behind this extension project.
“With the help of the chamber, all of the cooperation of the counties and the cities, and everyone else who worked together to get that done, that’s a herculean type of lift to do these types of projects,” said Bacon.
“That was all kind of closed off before. It allows us to consider expanding and putting some extra things out in the northern tier. There was really no road access before, so that wasn’t an option,” said Bacon, who joined the city council in 2020. “That’s what we’re really excited about. Just having that opportunity.”