(WWJ) -- One of Metro Detroit’s most iconic roadways is receiving a major makeover.
WXYZ reports that several projects will soon be underway on Woodward Avenue in Oakland County, all with the goal of creating safer conditions for drivers and pedestrians on the busy road.
The construction will happen between 8 Mile Road through the Woodward Loop in Pontiac, and will be made up of four different projects.
One of those projects -- happening at the intersection of 9 Mile and Woodward in Ferndale -- will see Woodward slim down from four lanes to three.
The plan is to convert the extra space into a bike lane, and add some additional street parking in the bustling downtown area.
Woodward will also be repaved between 8 Mile Road and I-696, and sight-lines will be improved in that area to improve drivers’ visibility as they turn onto the road.
Funding for the project was made possible by a $2.3 million grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, which the city of Ferndale matched with another $1.3 million.
Work is expected to begin after the Woodward Dream Cruise in August.
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Meanwhile, Oakland County officials and MDOT are also working on a plan to improve the walkability of downtown Pontiac by eliminating the Woodward Loop.
The hope is that the redesign will allow for a more accessible downtown area, and create more opportunities for development in the city, as well as pedestrian safety.
The project, which will also include the complete reconstruction of the stretch of M-59 in Pontiac, will cost an estimated $25 to $30 million and happen between 2024-2025.
Other work aimed at improving pedestrian safety on Woodward is also planned in Birmingham between Forest and Brown, with the goal of making it safer to cross the busy eight lanes of Woodward in that area.
MDOT officials say the project will possibly include a pedestrian countdown signal on the southbound side of the road, with another signal and a button for pedestrians to stop traffic on the northbound side.
Construction in downtown Birmingham is slated to start this summer.
Find out more about upcoming construction projects in Metro Detroit at Michigan.gov/MDOT.
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