Eastpointe Dairy Queen proprietor Mike Onaga says a 9 Mile Highway weight loss plan may have a damaging influence on his enterprise.
(PHOTO BY SUSAN SMILEY)
Greater than 60 individuals gathered at DeRonne True Worth {Hardware} in Eastpointe Tuesday morning to protest a lane discount plan for 9 Mile Highway that was authorized by the Metropolis Council Feb. 6.
The proposed “highway weight loss plan” plan would take 9 Mile from 5 lanes to a few between Kelly Highway and Nice Avenue. Supporters of the plan say it will improve walkability and entice small enterprise to the world.
However many enterprise house owners and residents who reside in shut proximity to the proposed mission say it is going to harm, not assist, current companies.
“You possibly can’t make it tougher for purchasers to get to a enterprise and suppose it’ll assist that enterprise,” stated DeRonne {Hardware} proprietor David DeRonne. “That can drive individuals to Amazon, which is already our largest competitors.”
DeRonne has managed his household’s enterprise, which was established in 1940, for greater than 30 years and stated he believes a highway weight loss plan will immediate prospects to buy someplace with simpler entry and extra parking. The ironmongery store is positioned between Almond and Courtland avenues simply east of Kelly Highway.
“I’ve already seen on social media the place persons are saying they’ll keep away from 9 Mile Highway just like the plague if it goes down to a few lanes,” DeRonne stated. “We’re asking the Metropolis Council to rethink its vote.”
For the previous a number of weeks, DeRonne has posted messages concerning the highway weight loss plan challenge on the signal exterior his enterprise. At present, the message urges Metropolis Council members to rethink their vote.
Lots of the protesters chanted “no highway weight loss plan” and carried indicators expressing their views on the plan throughout Tuesday’s gathering inside the shop.
Mike Onaga, proprietor of the Dairy Queen Grill & Chill — positioned on the nook of 9 Mile Highway and Rausch Avenue — stated highway building impacts his enterprise and he believes a highway weight loss plan may even scale back his buyer base.
“Any time we’ve highway building on 9 Mile, enterprise is down; as soon as building is accomplished, enterprise picks again up,” Onaga stated. “So I’ve already seen how having much less lanes on 9 Mile reduces the quantity of shoppers coming to Dairy Queen.”
Highway weight loss plan supporters, together with Mayor Michael Klinefelt and councilpersons Cardi DeMonaco Jr. and Margaret Podsiadlik who voted in favor of the plan on Feb. 6, say such plans have been profitable in different communities like Ferndale and Royal Oak and in the end will enhance security for pedestrians and motorists.
“The desire of the individuals was not thought of,” stated resident Mary Corridor-Rayford. “When you may have a overwhelming majority of residents saying they’re in opposition to it and also you vote in favor of it anyway, you’re not making an allowance for the need of the individuals.”
Debbie Griffin has labored at DeRonne {Hardware} for 14 years and lives on Normandy Avenue, simply off 9 Mile Highway. She stated each as a enterprise individual and as a resident, a highway weight loss plan plan doesn’t make sense.
“We might lose six parking spots and our police and hearth chiefs have come out in opposition to it,” stated Griffin. “The established companies right here like Plaza Mexico and East Detroit Bakery may even lose parking and the companies listed below are the type of companies most individuals entry by automotive.
“It looks like the individuals in favor of the highway weight loss plan need to carry explicit sorts of companies, extra artsy companies right here, however they’re pushing us out to try this.”
Council authorized a plan for an total 9 Mile Highway mission in 2021 that didn’t embrace a “highway weight loss plan.” The primary part of the mission reconstructed the world west of Gratiot Avenue and was accomplished final yr. A five-lane plan for part two of the Fashionable 9 mission between Gratiot Avenue and Kelly Highway was beforehand authorized by the Michigan Division of Transportation. Throughout its Dec. 5 assembly, the Metropolis Council voted to reject six bids gathered by MDOT for part two of the mission. The bottom got here in $220,327 over the unique estimated value of the mission.
Initially, the estimated value of your complete mission was $4.3 million however it has risen to $5.6 million.
Senior mission engineer Ryan Kern of Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc., Eastpointe’s engineering agency, stated a pointy rise in the price of concrete is the explanation for the rise.
Throughout that assembly, Klinefelt referred to as for Kern to current an alternate plan for part two of the mission that decreased lanes from 5 to a few.
Kern introduced two plans on Feb. 6 that each included separate bus lanes permitting SMART buses to tug out of the site visitors lane and right into a specified space to drop off and decide up riders and would add 12 toes of inexperienced area on either side of 9 Mile Highway.
In an effort to retain the 81.85% of federal funding for part two of the mission, it should be underway by September 2024. The brand new plan will now must be authorized by MDOT and as soon as once more be put out for bid as soon as that occurs.
“That’s one other concern, too, ensuring we don’t lose the federal funding for the mission,” DeRonne stated. “The five-lane plan was already authorized and will transfer ahead extra shortly.”