While still a few weeks out from its projected completion date, the members of the Dowagiac City Council have taken action to bring the 1,500-foot Riverside Drive extension into the fold with other local roadways.

Council approved an application to Michigan Department of Transportation on Monday that would have the planned road extension from the end of Riverside to Mathews Street classified as a “city major” road within the National Functional Classification, a federal grouping system for public roads. A portion of Riverside Drive, from Division Street to Hill Street, already falls under the major street designation, said City Manager Kevin Anderson.

“All roads have federal classification on how they are categorized, and depending on how they are categorized makes them eligible or not eligible for federal funding,” Anderson said. “We think this road, with its extension to Mathews, will fall under that major classification, which, when it comes time for repaving and maintenance, we could use some federal funds for that.”

Michigan city and villages, along with county road commissions, are required to work with MDOT to help coordinate the addition of new public roads through the NFC process, which is overseen by the Federal Highway Administration.

Construction work on the new stretch of road began in mid July, performed by Niles’ Northern Construction. Dowagiac Union Schools is paying the estimated $177,512 price tag for the extension, which is designed to give another point of entry and exit to the district’s middle school building, which is located near the end of the previously dead-end roadway.

Crews have spent the last several weeks clearing out vegetation between the end of Riverside and Mathews, bringing the path up to grade. They are expected to lay a gravel base down sometime this week, and will wait to pave and paint the roadway following the installation of a waterline extension taking place in the area, said Union Schools Superintendent Paul Hartsig

“I think we’re on target,” Hartsig said. “It should ready to open, if not the first week, then within the a few weeks after the beginning of the school year,”

Following the completion of the roadway, the district intends to dedicate the extension to the city, Hartsig said.

“This is not anything this particular city council will benefit from, but taxpayers down the line 20 to 25 years from now should get a real benefit from this action,” Anderson said.

The council also passed a resolution on Monday that moved the placement of the charter amendment proposal to the March 8, 2016 election. The proposal, originally scheduled to go before voters on this year on Nov. 3 election, will determine whether or not to change the position of city clerk from an elected to appointed office.

Other action taken by council Monday included:

• Appointment of Jarrid Bradford as employee delegate and Patty Klug as the employee alternate delegate to the Michigan Employee Retirement System annual meeting.

• Passage of resolutions declaring properties at 226 E. High St. and 303 Walnut St. as public nuisances.

• Payment of city bills and payroll, in the amount of $255,305.66.