Southfield City Centre Pedestrian-Bicycle Path will grow this spring

The city of Southfield and Lawrence Technological University (LTU) held a virtual ceremonial groundbreaking on March 9, 2020 for the Southfield City Centre Trail shared-use pathway expansion. The groundbreaking marked the beginning of construction work on 0.6 linear miles of pathway expansion. After nearly two years in the planning stages, the Southfield City Centre Trail will be expanded in two phases throughout this spring and summer.   

The first phase includes more than a half mile of shared-use path construction along southbound Northwestern Highway between Civic Center Drive and W. 10 Mile Road adjacent to the LTU campus. The new path will connect the Southfield City Centre and LTU with a 10-foot wide shared-use path built to standards set forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Portions of the trail will include a 14-foot pathway with decorative fence adjacent to the Evans Drain.

The path will connect LTU to the existing Southfield City Centre Trail to provide safe non-motorized access for students, faculty and staff to the many amenities in the City Centre, including shops, restaurants and year-round events.

"We are delighted that this new pathway will enhance access between Lawrence Technological University and the many offices, restaurants, recreational and municipal facilities, and other amenities in the Southfield City Centre," said Virinder K. Moudgil, Ph.D., president and CEO of Lawrence Technological University. "The easier it is for all portions of our community to interact with each other, the more that all of our constituencies benefit. Creating that sense of place and interaction is a positive step for all concerned."

The new path is being funded in part through a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, allocated by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). The balance of funding will be shared between the Southfield City Centre and LTU. The City of Southfield received notification of the TAP award on June 14, 2018. The estimated construction cost of the project is $847,687, to which the TAP grant will contribute up to $455,378. Additional costs for engineering, design, contract inspection, management and administration fees will be paid by LTU.

This first stage of the project will bring the Southfield City Centre trail closer to the 7.75-mile fully connected pathway system that will provide access to heart-healthy activity and social connection within the City Centre. Planned wayfinding signage, tree installation and other pedestrian enhancements will be added when the construction is complete, and LTU has committed to routine yearly maintenance of the pathway, boardwalk and bridge for the design life of the project.

“As a city that was principally developed in the mid-20th century, Southfield was designed around the automobile. Today, we are working to soften the impact of the automobile in numerous ways with zoning changes, reduction in parking lot requirements, placemaking and walkability," said Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver. "We have made great strides in making Southfield a more pedestrian-friendly community. The new pathway is the latest addition to miles and miles of new and wider sidewalks that have been installed in recent years in Southfield.”

The project is expected to be completed by early May 2020, and an additional phase that will construct a pathway from Evergreen Road south to 9 Mile Road will be completed during the summer.

The consulting engineer on the project is OHM Advisors. DiPonio Contracting is the prime contractor and Al’s Asphalt is the subcontractor.

For further information, contact Terry Croad, Director of Planning at (248) 796-4150.