DETROIT (WWJ) The Michigan Department of Transportation says it has reached an agreement with the City of Detroit for reconstruction of Michigan Avenue from Campus Martius downtown to I-96 to the west, beginning next year.
Corktown Restaurant Owner Tim Springstead spoke to WWJ's Mike Campbell, saying he is concerned abour how it will affect Ottawa Via customers and employees.
"I have not much choice in it," Springstead said. "But I guess it's going to be nice in Corktown, and Corktown is doing extremely well, so I guess you got to bite a little bit of the bullet."
MDOT did not give a completion projection.
The plan does call for fewer travel lanes—two in each direction; wider sidewalks with outdoor cafe seating; more crosswalks, and bike lanes. It also calls for electric coils under the pavement to charge electric vehicles and future driving assistance and enhancement technology.
As for those iconic red bricks that are currently the drive-lanes through Corktown: The plan is to re-use some by incorporating them into the sidewalks and crosswalks.
Springstead said of the red brick road: "It's a bumpy road...Times do change. Time moves on."