Sterling Heights Launches Traffic Calming and Roadway Safety Pilot Program

The city of Sterling Heights and Utica Community Schools recently partnered to cut the ribbon on new crosswalk safety features in a continued effort to enhance student and pedestrian safety. The newly designed crosswalks are just one part of a multi-pronged approach to traffic calming and roadway safety that will be rolled out as pilot projects over the next six months.

The pilot program, set to begin later this month, is in response to community concerns about traffic safety and pedestrian accessibility and will be implemented in select neighborhoods and high-traffic areas identified through a combination of resident feedback and data analysis of traffic patterns. These measures will focus on reducing speeding, improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and increasing overall traffic flow efficiency.

Key elements of the pilot program include:

• Speed Cushions: raised areas of the roadway designed to reduce vehicle speeds without affecting emergency vehicle response times. These will be installed at four locations along Brougham.
• Traffic Circles: Small circular islands placed at intersections to control the flow of traffic and encourage drivers to reduce their speed while navigating. Traffic circles have proven to be effective at reducing speeds and intersection crashes. They will be strategically placed at three locations along Amsterdam Drive.
• Medians: A strategically placed median on Pond View Drive aimed at reducing speeds by narrowing the roadway as well as providing a refuge island for pedestrians to increase the safety of a crossing.
• Curb Extensions: Bump outs with delineators that reduce the width of the roadway at intersections, helping to slow down turning vehicles and create safer crossing conditions for pedestrians by shortening the pedestrian crossing. This will be implemented at the Stevenson High School crosswalk area on Dodge Park Road.
• Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs): Flashing pedestrian-activated beacons that alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians and encouraging caution at crosswalks, increasing visibility and safety for people crossing the street. RRFBs like the ones at the Stevenson High School crosswalk will be installed at four locations in total on Utica and Dodge Park Road.
• Painted Crosswalks: Highly visible roadway artwork that signals pedestrian zones, drawing the attention of drivers to their surroundings and further encouraging drivers to be alert, reducing the risk of accidents. A test sample of pink and green triangles have been painted at the Stevenson High School crosswalk by Wendy Popko of the Sterling Heights Arts Commission. If this sample painting holds up well to traffic, snowplows and the elements, a full crosswalk artwork will be painted in the spring.

Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor expressed excitement for the new crosswalk and traffic calming pilot project.

"We heard our residents' concerns about traffic safety, and we responded. I'm proud to highlight the safety features at this newly designed crosswalk - the first of many traffic calming measures we are testing throughout the city," said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. "With these new beacons and other traffic calming pilot projects, we're making sure that in Sterling Heights, everyone can drive, walk and bike with confidence in their safety."

Utica Community Schools Superintendent Robert Monroe also expressed enthusiasm for the Stevenson High School crosswalk portion of the pilot project.

"This partnership on the Stevenson High School crosswalks demonstrates how we continue working together to ensure the safety of our students," said Utica Community Schools Superintendent Robert S. Monroe. "These improvements have been a priority for our entire community, and we are pleased that these measures are the first of their kind in the city and will significantly improve the safety of our students walking to and from Stevenson High School."

The city is encouraging community members to share their feedback throughout the pilot period by emailing [email protected] or calling City Engineering at 586-446-2720. All feedback will be used to assess the effectiveness of the measures before making any permanent installations. Traffic and pedestrian flow will also be monitored to evaluate the program's success in meeting its goals.

The Traffic Calming pilot initiatives have an estimated cost of $75,000 and align with Sterling Heights' Visioning 2040 plan for a safe, sustainable and vibrant community. If the pilot proves successful, the city plans to expand these traffic calming strategies to additional neighborhoods and corridors.

Residents interested in staying up to date on city initiatives can visit sterlingheights.gov/getconnected or sign up for text updates related to specific projects at sterlingheights.gov/notifyme.