City announces 2021 road improvement plans; installing 4,500 speed humps, resurfacing 65 miles of roads

City announces 2021 road improvement plans; installing 4,500 speed humps, resurfacing 65 miles of roads

DPW to install 4,500 speed humps this year, up from 1,200 in 2020
Program began as a pilot in 2018 with only 32 speed humps and has grown annually
25 miles of major roads and 40 miles of local roads being resurfaced

The City of Detroit has begun its road improvement program for the 2021 season. City workers and contractors will work throughout the season to install 4,500 speed humps in residential neighborhoods, as well as repave 65 miles of major roads and residential side streets.

2021 Speed Hump Program

This year, the city will install 4,500 speed humps across residential neighborhoods. The speed hump program first launched as a pilot in 2018, consisted of installing speed humps along a small number of residential side streets among each of the seven City Council Districts with the intention of soliciting resident feedback. Response has been so favorable, the city has responded by increasing the size of the program each year.

2018 – 32
2019 – 543
2020 – 1,200
2021 – 4,500

For the 2021 program, the City has allocated $11.5 million that will come from state transportation funds, as well planned capital projects that have been reprioritized.

The speed humps are one part of the city’s traffic calming efforts to increase overall neighborhood safety and slow down motorists in those areas with high pedestrian traffic. 2021 speed hump locations were selected based on the following criteria:

History of crashes
Number of children living on the street or neighborhood
DPD reports of excessive speeding on the street
Streets often used as a cut-through to bypass major road traffic
Streets near parks or schools

Residents can visit detroitmi.gov/dpw to view a map of the 2021 speed hump locations. Work is expected to be completed by December 2021.

2021 Road Construction Projects

This year, work crews will resurface 25 miles of major roads and 40 miles of local roads. Work this year also will include construction on four separate streetscape projects that have been designed to beautify and enhance those commercial corridors.

The city will continue its practice of requiring the majority of work on construction projects be performed by Detroit residents. While residential street resurfacing is done by city workers, the paving of major thoroughfares is performed by contractors that are required to have at least 51% of all work done by Detroit residents.

“This administration remains committed to providing jobs for Detroit residents. These road construction contracts will create additional opportunities for our citizens, while providing needed repairs to our infrastructure,” said DPW director Ron Brundidge.

Some of the major thoroughfares planned for improvements this year include segments of Cadillac, Dickerson, E. Grand Blvd., Kelly, Mack, Southfield Service Dive, and Wyoming. Work is already underway on some projects and expected to be completed by December.

In addition to the resurfacing of 65 miles of roads, the city will revitalize four commercial corridors this year, which will include the addition of new wider sidewalks for café seating, landscaping, improved lighting, separated bike paths, as well as the roadway receiving new pavement. Those locations are:

1. McNichols

2. Kercheval

3. Grand Parklet

4. Conant

Funding for these projects will come from a combination of federal and state transportation funds.

For a complete list of planned road repairs or any additional information, visit the City’s website at http://www.detroitmi.gov/DPW.