Northville City Council to Explore Road Improvement Plan

The City Council approved Monday night a resolution to review street usage and create a nonmotorized transportation plan.

The council formally voted to explore becoming part of a nationwide initiative called Complete Streets.

“The basic concept of Complete Streets is that any agency involved in transportation planning and road construction should consider all users of the roadway—cyclists, walkers, transit and vehicular traffic—when designing improvements,” City Manager Patrick Sullivan said in his report to the council. “While the city of Northville does this now, this resolution makes a formal commitment to that process.”

Sullivan explained to the council that the process would involve a review of the city’s street and sidewalk conditions. He said that he worked extensively with a local member of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, Paul Lamoreaux, to begin the process.

According to Sullivan’s report, the plan would include improving nonmotorized transportation options in the city as well as a pathway, which was also mentioned at last week’s Northville Township meeting, connecting Northville to Maybury Park.

Lamoreaux explained that there are more than 20 Michigan communities that have adopted Complete Streets practices, and that adopting them could make the city more competitive for state Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding.

According to its website, TE is “a competitive grant program that funds projects such as nonmotorized paths, streetscapes, and historic preservation of transportation facilities, that enhance Michigan's intermodal transportation system and improve the quality of life for Michigan citizens.”

The making of Northville into a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly city could include more rotaries, crosswalks and bike lanes, Lamoreaux said.

This could drive more traffic to the city’s businesses by creating pathways to the downtown area.

For example, he explained, “A lot of cyclists go to Seven Mile, the Northville Downs area, and turn around.”

Creating a nonmotorized plan would also contribute to the safety of all road users, Sullivan said.