Northville City Council Approves Traffic Control Order for Garage Restaurant
Right turns out of the restaurant onto High Street will be forbidden.
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Patrons of the newly-opened Garage Grill & Fuel Bar in Northville will now be prohibited from making right turns out of the restaurant onto High Street.
At a Northville City Council meeting earlier this month, residents expressed concern about the traffic hazards caused by patrons of the newly opened Garage Grill & Fuel Bar.
Mayor Chris Johnson promised to look into the issue, and yesterday he and the board approved the recommendation from Police Chief Gary Goss to implement a traffic control order that will prohibit drivers from turning right while exiting the Garage parking lot onto High Street.
Because these traffic issues were also brought up before the Garage opened, the plan for the Garage’s parking area included this driveway onto High Street that was designed to send traffic to Main Street instead of the residential neighborhood. The owners of the Garage posted a sign asking patrons exiting the drive onto High street to only turn left.
"According to our survey, patrons of the Garage restaurant are ignoring the left turn only sign," Goss said.
However, this sign is not official and police cannot issue citations for those who don't follow it.
Goss said the plan is to have two signs indicating it is a prohibited right turn - one at the driveway and one across from it. If the Garage owners decided to keep their sign, there will be three signs indicating to drivers that they can only turn left.
The order becomes effective when it is filed with the city clerk and proper signs are erected.
Read about the City of Northville's expectations to pay more for water in 2013.
EBC
6:46 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
A step in the right direction to help the residents of High Street. However the problem of customers parking on High Street still remains a significant issue.
Bruce F. Mirto
1:12 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The reason Northville is a Ghost Town after 6PM is there is nothing to do and nowhere to do it. This was the case for years in Plymouth until restaurants and bars began to replace failed retail establishments providing places to "hang out" and visit with friends and family. I say this as a 60 year resident of Plymouth having gone to school and lived in the area since the "horse and buggy days" of both communities. Substantial numbers of Northville residents come to Plymouth and bring their money with them because there are places to go and things to do. Northville cannot be a viable commercial success in the downtown area without people traffic. Lifestyles have changed and stores selling $200 pairs of jeans and scented candles will not draw people in sufficient numbers to allow the downtown to survive. Northville has to get with the program and provide a destination for people to go to after work if they want all businesses to have a chance to succeed. If the Northville residents want a charming community and a nice place to live with very little to do at night then they need to do nothing to achieve that end. If however, they want a viable community with plentiful shopping and nightlife, they need look no further than Plymouth. The decision is theirs, as it should rightly be.
Marc Spiritus Colter
11:37 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
It is beyond my understanding how people are so lazy they cannot park across the street or down the block at municipal parking lots. If you are not handicapped, and cannot walk more than 20 feet, please stay home and order pizza delivery. You could not survive in an urban setting where people walk city blocks and the blocks in Northville are short downtown. Will The Garage be forced to hire valet service?
johnj
1:28 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Bruce, I have faith in Downtown Northville and where it is heading. Give us a few years – we will soon give Plymouth a serious run on destination (Kool & Trendy) night spots. Plymouth is no longer the only town with bottomless mimosa’s on Sunday too btw… ;)
Steve
7:43 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I am absolutely in shock that this topic has had so much conversation. We just simply have it to good, way to good. The most we can complain about is a several million dollar investment in our town???? Whats next, should we start asking the flights inbound to metro airport to fly over Farmington Hills instead of Northville so we can take an afternoon nap??? With horrible things going on in our country, let alone the world, we find it at the top of the list to complain about an increase in traffic and parking. How blessed we truly are, I am giving thanks right now.
Johnny
10:15 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012
Some people (the evil rich according to some high ranking and over rated politicians) have decided to invest in our community. Let's make sure they pay their fair share in fines, bad press and excessive regulation. It's the NO-ville way. Maybe the police can set up a checkpoint right at the high street exit. I am sure they can nail a few patrons there. I was unaware that driving on High street is not allowed. Are these people playing rap music and doing donuts on the lawns? Get a life! The place just opened, give it a chance to do business and stop looking for something to complain about.