Peter MacGregor, center, in blue, speaks to a group of supporters during a viewing party at Perrin Brewing during the Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, primary election. MacGregor won the GOP nomination over former state Rep. Kevin Green and then beat Democrat Deb Havens in the November 2014 general election.

Only portions of the 92-mile White Pine Trail between Belmont and Rockford and between Reed City and Big Rapids are paved with asphalt currently.

WEST MICHIGAN - A planned surfacing of the White Pine Trail with crushed limestone is being delayed at the request of some Grand Rapids-area lawmakers. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has agreed to hold off on the $2.7 million project until after meeting with state Sen. Peter MacGregor, R-Cannon Township, and trail users.

Staff from the DNR and Michigan Department of Transportation, which was set to hold a bid-letting for the work this week, will meet with the public 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, at Plainfield Township offices, 6161 Belmont Dr. NE.

The chairman of Friends of the White Pine Trail has objected to the DNR's plans to surface 40 miles of the Grand Rapids-to-Cadillac rail trail with crushed limestone, including sections between Sand Lake and Big Rapids and between Reed City and Leroy.

"We never said we would never pave the trail (with asphalt)," said Ron Olson, the DNR's chief of parks and recreation. "It's simply the fact that this is an opportunity to complete and get the trail corridor usable. Right now the condition of that trail corridor is pretty rough.

"This would put it into the functional use and then, when funds come available to pave it, that could be a goal pursued over time. Now, the greater good would be to have a trail improved."

RELATED: White Pine Trail fans not happy about this year's paving plans

MacGregor said about 45 people showed up to his recent in-district office hours and all of them voiced concerns with the DNR's plans. The DNR has agreed to hold off on the project until it can hear those concerns, Olson said.

The estimated $2.7 million project would take about 16 weeks, said Jeff Cranson, an MDOT spokesman. The current delay will make it difficult to complete the surfacing this year, he said.

"I can't stop this from happening, but hopefully I can help get what the people want out in the open," MacGregor said. "I need the department to listen to the users and take their input because I don't know we're going down the right trail with what's proposed. What I'm hearing is if it can't get paved the whole way (with asphalt), they'd much rather have nothing happen.

"If they hear enough people against it, maybe they'll do the right thing. I would think you'd really want to listen to the people who use the White Pine Trail, and maybe there's people out there (who think crushed limestone is a great idea.)"

MacGregor and state Sen. Judy Emmons, R-Sheridan, along with state Reps. Chris Afendoulis, R-Grand Rapids Township, Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes, and Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker, all sent a letter to the DNR "demanding that this project officially be put on hold" until a hearing.

"We're requesting a review because a lot of the people are concerned about the fact that we're going to be using crushed gravel," Afendoulis said. "We at least want the residents and the users of the trail to be heard."

Matt Vande Bunte covers government for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at mvandebu@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.