Source: Ferndale 115
Editor's Note: This originally article appeared on Ferndale 115 and is reposted with permission.
“How the West was One,” a major reconstruction project of West Nine Mile in Downtown Ferndale, will officially begin with a Community Round Up and Groundbreaking from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 1 at 918 W. Nine Mile Road.
Attendees will “Dig In” to break ground at 6:15 pm, followed by a full presentation on the scope of the project, its timeline and other pertinent details. The event is hosted by the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority and is open to the public.
“How the West was One” is a collaborative initiative with the City of Ferndale, the Ferndale DDA and the Michigan Department of Transportation. Plans for the $1.8 million project, first named the West Nine Mile Water Main Replacement and Phase IV Streetscape Improvement, began as early as 2006.
As the city planned to address its need to replace the aging water main along West Nine, the Ferndale DDA launched plans to improve issues of safety, accessibility and ambiance on the west end of the corridor. Completed, the west end of West Nine Mile Road will parallel the streetscape east to Woodward in look, feel and economic viability.
Multiple sources will fund the project led by the City of Ferndale’s match to an MDOT Traffic Enhancement grant of $590,000 as well as a Federal Highway SAFETEA grant of $320,000+ for road resurfacing, for a total project cost of $1.8 million.
Streetscape improvements from Livernois to Pinecrest include wider sidewalks, on-street parking, greenscapes, new streetlights, bike sharrows and more. The water main replacement, from Planavon to Pinecrest, will mean improved water service for businesses and residents throughout the city.
