Work on the Northbound Woodward streetscape project between Sylvan and 696 is scheduled to resume on Monday, April 29.
- Phase 1 will include completion of the streetscape improvements on Woodward from Sylvan to 696. The right lane on Woodward and Main Street will be closed while the contractor completes the remaining streetscaping and landscaping work.
- Phase 2 will be construction on Main Street between Woodward and 696. There will be lane closures on Main Street and 10 Mile/696 Service Drive will have a right lane closure. All work is expected to be completed by mid-June.
Also, please note that there may be single lane closures on the I-696 service drive west of Woodward for an unrelated MDOT project. We appreciate your patience as we wrap up the Woodward project.
The construction season is wrapping up and construction on Woodward will be finished for the year by Friday, December 22. The project is not yet complete, and work will resume in the spring. Here’s an update on where things stand:
Construction on Travel Lanes. All lanes of traffic will be open over the winter. Nearly all of the construction work within the travel lanes is complete, with only a small amount of work remaining to be done on the west (triangle) side of Main Street in the spring. The area that is curently striped in yellow hatch marks will be replaced with a new curb and grass area.
Cycle Track Status. The cycle track will be fenced off over the winter for a number of reasons:
- There are two sections of cycle track which have not yet been poured at the corner of Main Street and 696, and at the southeast corner of Woodward and Devonshire. There were utility conflicts in these areas that had to be resolved and delayed construction of the cycle track.
- There is a brick paver border along the edges of the cycle track. The brick pavers are not yet complete in all areas. There there is a dropoff on the side of the cycle track where the pavers are missing.
- The colored concrete will be sealed to help maintain it. This can only be done when temperatures are above 50 degrees, so the concrete won’t be sealed until the spring.
- Closing off the cycle track for the winter will help minimize the amount of salt on the concrete, allowing it to better cure and improve its long-term durability.
Pedestrian sidewalks will be complete and open along the entire stretch of Woodward during the winter.
The photo at right shows the cycle track between Wellesley and Devonshire. This segment has a gap in the cycle track, is missing the edge pavers, and is missing the fill dirt in the landscaping areas, and is an example of the reasons why the cycle track has to be fenced off over the winter.
Work to be Completed in Spring. Most of the work to be done in the spring is detail work and finishing touches:
- 6 more trees will be planted.
- Fill dirt will be added and landscaping installed.
- Irrigation will be installed.
- Furnishings will be installed, including benches, bus stop improvements, garbage cans, and a bottle filling station along the cycle track between Devonshire and Kensington.
Southbound Woodward Status. Work on southbound Woodward in Pleasant Ridge is largely complete. In the spring, final pavement markings and striping will be installed, along with the rest of the bollards on the concrete curbs and the armadillo lane dividers on the pavement between the concrete curbs. This will help separate and protect the cycle track from the Woodward travel lanes. Armadillos are mounted on the ground, and are 4-5 inches high with reflectors. They serve as a physical curb-like separation between the bike lane and travel lanes.
The photo at right shows an example of the armadillo dividers.
We’re sad to have to cut down these five trees along Woodward between Wellesley and Devonshire, but our expert arborist advised us that they are too damaged from recent construction to preserve. Too much of the root structure has been compromised.
We know this is a tough decision. We care deeply about maintaining the health and beauty of our city and we will replant an equal number of new trees to replace the ones we have to remove. We will be planting 29 new trees, and there will still be a net increase of 13 trees along Woodward once the project is complete.
Construction of the Woodward streetscape and cycle track will start during the week of June 26, 2023. For more information about the project, including renderings of what the streetscape will look like when completed, please refer to the project webpage at:
www.cityofpleasantridge.org/Woodward
You can also sign up for email project updates at this link.
Here is the latest information about the project (all dates subject to change due to weather, MDOT, contractor schedules, etc.):
- Construction is scheduled to begin the week of June 26, 2023, and will be completed by mid-November.
- Merlo Construction is the primary contractor you will see working on this project.
- On-street parking will temporarily not be available during the project. Public parking will be available in the public parking lots at Wellesley and Fairwood, and on side streets where allowed.
- One or two lanes will be closed on Woodward and Main Street between Sylvan and I-696 during the length of the project.
- Unfortunately, 11 honeylocust trees will be removed, but most of the existing trees will be preserved and 24 new trees will be planted, resulting in a net increase of 13 trees.
We will have more detailed updates about the project as it progresses.
Construction in Pleasant Ridge and Ferndale
MDOT is preparing to switch from double left lane closures to double right lane closures on Woodward from I-696 to 8 Mile starting Wednesday, May 10 through the end of June.
This work will also result in the temporary closure of SMART bus stops on southbound Woodward at Millington, Elm Park, and Cambridge in Pleasant Ridge. The bus stop at Oakland Park will remain open and in service.
These closures are related to the ongoing Woodward pavement resurfacing project. In addition to resurfacing Woodward and concrete curb and crossover repairs, the project will also remove a travel lane on each side of Woodward from 8 Mile to Oakridge Street in Ferndale and the rightmost southbound lane from Poplar Park to Oakland Park in Pleasant Ridge will be removed. That space will be dedicated to two-way cycle tracks and improved intersection crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists along the corridor.
Construction on Woodward North of I-696
MDOT is also completing paving work on Woodward north of I-696. The northbound underpass lanes are currently closed while MDOT resurfaces the two left lanes. Work on the two right lanes north of 696 is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 10.
For more information, visit cityofpleasantridge.org/woodward