Mayor Sheffield gives update on City’s $58M 2026 road improvement program

• Work taking place along major roads and in neighborhoods across the city
• DPW workers resurfacing 27 miles of residential streets
• This year's program also includes resurfacing of 17 miles of major thoroughfares
• Improvements include completing two commercial corridor streetscapes
• City-contracted projects require 51% of work to be performed by Detroit residents

Today, Mayor Mary Sheffield joined with DPW construction workers and residents in the Yorkshire Woods neighborhood to update the community on the City's $58 million 2026 road and bridge infrastructure improvement. This year's program includes 140 individual major road and residential paving and construction, bridge removals and streetscape construction.

This year, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will repave 44 miles of major roads and residential roads. That includes 27 miles of local residential streets, and 17 miles of major roads that will be improved this year.

The City also will start new streetscape projects along Michigan Avenue from Woodward to Cass Avenue and West Grand Boulevard west of the Lodge near the new Henry Ford Hospital tower, as well as road improvements on city streets serving GM Factory Zero.

Standing on Kensington Avenue near Cadieux and I-94 as City workers placed fresh asphalt along Kensington, the Mayor praised the program for its investment in neighborhoods.

"Two of the ways City government shows up every day for every Detroiter is the improvement of the condition of our sidewalks and our streets," said Mayor Sheffield. "Earlier this spring, we kicked of a $9.5-million investment to clear our backlog of 6,300 sidewalk repairs, and today, we are investing another $58 million to improve our residential side streets and the major roads in our commercial corridors, the vast majority of them in neighborhoods far from downtown."

Mayor Mary Sheffield shares the details of this year's $58 million road and bridge improvement program, which will improve 54 miles of roads and streets in neighborhoods across the city.

Infrastructure Investment = Opportunity

Mayor Sheffield also praised DPW for its efforts to ensure Detroit residents make up the majority of workers making these needed repairs. Most residential streets will be paved by City crews, while the major roads will be paved by contractors. All contracts awarded through the City's procurement process require most of the work be performed by Detroit residents.

"I am very proud of the fact that more than 90% of DPW's street maintenance division employees that do this work are residents of Detroit and 57% of workers on City-contracted road improvements also are residents of Detroit," said Mayor Sheffield. "And I know it means a lot for them to be able to earn a good living improving their own city."

Some of the major thoroughfares planned for improvements throughout the city this year include:

• Northbound John C. Lodge from Wyoming to McNichols
• Whittier from Whitehill to Chandler Park Drive
• Junction Avenue from St. Hedwig to Michigan Avenue

Work is already underway on several projects, and weather permitting, the construction season will continue until December.

City of Detroit DPW workers resurface a stretch of Kensington Avenue in the Yorkshire Woods neighborhood on Wednesday.

Funding for the road projects will come from a combination of federal and state transportation funds, as well as road bond funds. "We are committed to improving the quality of life and creating opportunity for our citizens. In addition to providing needed road and sidewalk repairs, we are also requiring that 51% of the work be done by Detroiters so our residents can take part in the opportunities created through our infrastructure improvement projects," said DPW Director Ron Brundidge.

A new streetscape project will begin along West Grand Boulevard. This project will add new crosswalk, landscaping, as well as new road pavements. A similar project will take place along Michigan Avenue from Woodward to Cass.

Here's breakdown of projects planned and costs:

• Resurfacing 27 miles of residential streets - $14 million
• Repaving 17 miles of major thoroughfares - $18 million
• Removing 2 bridges over Dequindre Cut - $1 million
• Reconstructing roads adjacent to Factory Zero - $10 million
• Constructing connector to Joe Louis Greenway - $3.5 million
• Construction of Michigan Avenue streetscape (Woodward to Cass) - $ 6 million
• Construction of West Grand Boulevard Streetscape - $ 2 million
• Constructing new brick paver roads on historic Virginia Park, from Woodward to John C. Lodge - $3.5 million

For additional information, visit the City's website at detroitmi.gov/DPW.

Yorkshire Woods community association president Mose Primus expresses his gratitude for the city's investment in his neighborhood.