ReActivate Grand River

Woodbridge Neighborhood Development has received a planning grant from Kresge Innovative Projects in Detroit+ (KIP:D+).

During the Summer and Fall of 2024, “ReActivate Grand River” will bring together residents, business owners, property owners and regular users of Grand River Avenue between Trumbull and I-94 to envision a safer, more walkable, beautiful street experience that meets the needs of the locals, businesses, and patrons who use it.

This project aims to address concerns that have been brought up by residents and business owners along both sides of Grand River since at least 2016. Notably, the road is at least six lanes wide and does not allow parking on either side. This has the effect of increasing car and truck traffic speeds; making the road more treacherous to cross on foot, wheelchair or bike, or to use existing painted bike lanes; and burdening existing small businesses and new proposed businesses with a lack of customer parking. It has also resulted in the road being used for drag racing and drifting. The planning grant will not pay for the actual implementation of fixes, but the plan will serve as a guide and goalpost for achieving the change that so many have been wanting for years.

TO GET INVOLVED, JOIN THE PROJECT MAILING LIST BY SENDING US AN EMAIL! YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WND E-NEWSLETTER. 

project Context & Motivation

This 1.5 mile stretch of Grand River Avenue is part of a historic roadway linking the growing neighborhoods of Core City and Woodbridge, and is seeing development activity including new housing, commercial and office spaces, restaurants, cafes, retail, gyms, galleries, parks, and other soon-to-open businesses on both sides of the street.

 The new development and rehabilitation happening in the neighborhoods of Woodbridge and Core City speak to the value of the area–just over a mile and half from downtown–as a place to live, work, play, and learn. Something current residents (approx. 6000), longer-term businesses (veterinary clinic, plumbing supply, hardware, restaurants, bottle shops, discount stores, auto parts and repair, gas station, convenience store, urban farms), and institutions (elementary schools, trade school, post office, churches, library, veteran’s housing) already know and have been committed to preserving for years.

With so much new activity planned along this important stretch of road, there is a need and opportunity to improve the safety and quality of life for those using the street, and encouraging more people to get out on foot, bike or transit. Possible improvements might include signage, lighting, public art, parking solutions, safer sidewalks and bike lanes, improved transit stops, cross-walks, traffic-calming measures like curb cuts and bump outs and road narrowing, changes to striping, and/or traffic signals/signs.