The city of Detroit is spending $100 million on what it calls the most expansive infrastructure investment in the city’s recent history this construction season.
It includes the resurfacing of nearly 100 miles of major and residential streets throughout the city, along with the rebuilding or rehabbing of five bridges.
Seven commercial corridors will also see additional improvements. The city will undertake these as the first of a planned 23 areas targeted for improvement in “strategic neighborhoods” throughout the city.
“And in those specific neighborhoods, the road improvement work is just one of multiple investments that we’re making in those specific areas. We’re improving parks, we’re working with private investors to provide more funding to promote more retail development as well as residential developments,” said Ron Brundidge, Detroit’s director of public works. “We’re also going to be addressing sidewalks, in many cases widening sidewalks to provide for outdoor cafes, doing landscaping, enhanced pedestrian lighting, as well as separated bike paths.
“So the roadwork actually just becomes one of multiple improvements, and one of multiple investments that are being done is those specific areas.”
The larger streetscape improvements will be funded by $125 million in city bond money. The street repairs will be paid for by state and federal road funds.
While city workers will resurface residential roads, private contractors will do the majority of major road repairs. The city says it’s committed that the workforce for this summer’s projects be made up of at least 51% Detroit residents.
