OAK PARK, Mich. (WWJ) -- Celebrating its 74th birthday, the city of Oak Park is sprucing things up along Nine Mile Road.
A ribbon cutting was held Tuesday night for the Nine Mile Redesign Kickoff, signifying the completion of the project that features a "road diet," bike lanes and "pocket parks" all with the community in mind.
The project, which cost around $2 million in grant money, saw Nine Mile east of Coolidge narrowed from five lanes down to one each direction, with a turn lane in the middle and bike lanes in each direction. The project also brings back-in angle parking along Nine Mile, as well as a trailhead -- a monument marking the central point of the bike paths and lanes in Oak Park. The project's website says it "will likely feature an information and directional kiosk, public art, and some bicycle-related amenities."
Perhaps the biggest draw of the project is a pair of "pocket parks" in areas "immediately adjacent to local businesses that otherwise would be underutilized." The city tried out a temporary pocket park at Sherman and Nine Mile last summer, which drew about 900 visitors per week, according to the city. Now it will become a permanent park, along with one at Seneca Street, where Tuesday's ceremony was held.
Oak Park City Manager Erik Tungate was on-hand and he says the transition in the city of Oak Park has the community in mind.
"People congregate around good public amenities, so we've decided to shed away that utilitarianism mindset and move towards a mindset of having the very best public amenities that we can and improving our built environment so people will congregate and want to live here," Tungate said.
Full details on the project, including renderings and bi-weekly updates are available on the city's website.
