What was supposed to be a way to boost the economy in Eastpointe has now turned into outrage among residents and business owners.
Recently, city council approved a plan to reduce 9 Mile Rd. from five lanes of traffic to three lanes as part of a road diet.
I made a trip to the city a few days ago where I was greeted by a large group of people who desperately want to see plans to change 9 Mile Rd. scrapped.
David Deronne is the owner of Deronne True Value Hardware on 9 Mile, just two blocks west of Kelly.
"If we reduce 9 Mile to three lanes, we have already seen people posting things on residents' Facebook page that they will avoid 9 Mile like the plague," Deronne said.
Council recently approved the plan for the road diet on 9 Mile between Pleasant Ave., east of Gratiot, to Tuscany, with a plan to later approve the road diet east of Tuscany to the Eastpointe city limits.
In a 3-2 vote, a stamp of approval was given on the project. The plan has people fired up for a number of reasons.
“Seconds count, seconds count in the case of a heat attack, in the case of a stoke, and in other medical emergencies, and when potently our medical vehicles are going to be delayed because there is not enough room for them to get by, this is potential loss of life," Carmela Leiter said.
“We have to do what residents want we we are in elected positions. If you are not willing to hear the residents, what’s your point?” Mary Hall-Rayford added.
"The people said no. The police and fire said no. This says no, I say no," another resident told us.
Cardi DeMonaco Jr., a city council member, was one of the three who voted in favor of the diet, saying they have to try something new on 9 Mile.
“I think the two main concerns. I think for people were public safety response time, and just in general their traffic across 9 Mile as they drive 9 Mile, and I think the latter one, the date shows easily that your community is not going to be much different, and then since so the commute for an average car is not going to be much different, why is it going to be for public safety," DeMonaco said.
He tells me there have been studies done showing traffic would not be backed up, and he's hopeful this could boost the local economy and have other potential benefits.
“It is going to bring economic benefits for the businesses. There’s more people that will be walking, we will have trees, it will be prettier, right now there is just a lot of concert," he said.
According to DeMonaco, the city is putting the finishing touches on the plan and hopes to break ground in late fall.
"Hopefully one of the council members files a motion to reconsider and changes their vote," Deronne said.
“Do you see going back at all because of this public outcry? Or do you see plans changing?” I asked.
“At this point I don’t believe so," DeMonaco said.
He did say the city has received some emails from residents who are for the project.
