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Woodward Road Diet Project

February 7, 2022

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Housekeeping

  • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires MDOT to provide the opportunity for everyone to comment on transportation programs and activities that may affect their community. ��Please take the three-question survey in the chat. ��You can help MDOT comply with Title VI and related statutes, which require the collection of demographic data to aid in assessing MDOT's outreach efforts among those who are affected or interested in this project.

  • Questions from the audience
    • Put in chat
    • Raise virtual hand
    • Email�

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Project Limits

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Woodward Road Diet Project Scope

  • Paving limits from south of Eight Mile Road to Oakridge Street
  • Bike lane limits from Eight Mile Road to Woodward Heights
  • Four lanes in each direction to become three lanes in each direction
  • Retain a majority of on-street parking
  • Add two-way bike lane to both southbound and northbound Woodward
  • Resurfacing of Woodward
  • Repair catch basins
  • New pavement markings
  • Sidewalk ramp upgrades for ADA compliance
  • Minor signal improvements
  • Green infrastructure

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What is a Road Diet?

  • A Road Diet is when the number of lanes on a road is reduced to better meet the needs of all road users.
  • MDOT has adopted a Complete Streets Policy which means streets are designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users.

Existing

Future

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Benefits of a Road Diet

  • Road Diets provide enhanced safety, mobility and quality of life for all users.
  • Aligns with MDOT’s Complete Streets Legislation
    • The law’s definition of Complete Streets is, “roadways planned, designed, and constructed to provide appropriate access to all legal users in a manner that promotes safe and efficient movement of people and goods whether by car, truck, transit, assistive device, foot, or bicycle.”
  • Promote safety by:
    • Reducing vehicle speeds
    • Reducing vehicle-pedestrian conflicts
      • Fewer lanes for pedestrians to cross
    • Reducing vehicle-bicycle conflicts
      • Drivers do not worry about bicyclists sharing their lane
      • Improved sight distance at cross streets
  • Livability Benefits
    • Improves the comfort level of all users

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Benefits of a Protect On-Street Bike Lane

  • Increased Safety for Bicyclists
    • Unprotected bike lanes leave bicyclists vulnerable
    • Studies have shown that protected bike lanes increase safety and reduce injuries by 89%
  • Increased Safety and Walkability for Pedestrians
    • Less bicyclists riding on sidewalks
    • Decreased crossing distance for pedestrians crossing Woodward
  • Increases Sales at Businesses
    • Studies have shown that the addition of bike lanes can increase sales
    • More bike traffic can increase sales
  • Promotes More Bicyclists and Potentially Less Drivers

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Study Phase of the Road Diet Project

  • Cities of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge held public meeting in February 2021
  • City of Ferndale provided MDOT with the concepts
  • MDOT hired Bergmann to validate the results
  • Existing and Proposed Conditions Were Modeled
    • SB lane drop would not occur until approximately 1,500’ south of Oakland Park Blvd/Sylvan Ave.
    • Increase Woodward back to four lanes at Woodward Heights
    • NB lane drop moved to north of Chesterfield Street
    • Level of service would decrease but within acceptable limits

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What will the Road Diet Look Like?

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What will the Road Diet Look Like?

9 Mile Road at Woodward

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What will the Road Diet Look Like?

SB Woodward at Withington Street

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What will the Road Diet Look Like?

NB Woodward at Oakridge Street

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Questions?

  • SwansonL@Michigan.gov

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