Complete Streets Interactive Community Events Kick Off This Month

The Woodward Avenue Action Association (WA3) will hold three days of interactive community events on April 17, 18 and 19 at the St. James Catholic Church, located at 241 Pearson Street in Ferndale at the corner of Pearson and Woodward.

This series of events, collectively called a “charrette”, will be the first of five that will take place in the coming months in the cities and communities along Woodward. The first charrette will focus on the northern portion of Woodward in Detroit (from McNichols to Eight Mile) and the City of Ferndale. 

This effort is being led by the WA3, in conjunction with consulting firm Parsons Brinckerhoff and a Steering Group comprised of representatives and policy makers from Wayne and Oakland counties, the 11 municipalities along Woodward, MDOT, M1 Rail, SEMCOG and associated advocacy groups. 

The Woodward Complete Streets master planning initiative is designed to make the entire 27-mile Woodward corridor more friendly and accessible for users of all modes and abilities. The project is designed to be community-driven and the public is encouraged to attend and participate. The first of the series of interactive Complete Streets events will feature presentations, design sessions and a walking audit with walkability expert Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. 

Three-day Woodward Complete Streets event schedule

The three-day Woodward Complete Streets event will be held in the St. James Church Gymnasium and Community Center. For more information: visit: www.transformwoodward.com. 

These events are free. No registration is required and all ages are welcome.

Wednesday, April 17

• Drop-in hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Community meeting & presentation: 5–6:30 p.m. 
• Presentation on the Rapid Transit Alternative Analysis: 6:30–8 pm. 

Thursday, April 18

• Walking Audit and Interactive Design Workshop: 9 a.m.-Noon 
• Drop-in: Noon–8 p.m. 

Friday, April 19

• Drop-in: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 
• Plan Concepts Presentation: 3-5 p.m. 

“We want to create a street that truly works for everyone. Imagine a corridor that accommodates people of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors, mobility-challenged individuals, transit riders and motorists,” said Jason Fowler, WA3 and Woodward Complete Streets Program Manager. “By engaging the residents and businesses along the corridor, as well as industry experts in this visioning process, we can develop a wide variety of innovative solutions and create a successful master plan.” 

Walkability expert Dan Burden, who will be in Ferndale leading the workshops and walking audits, remarked, “The Woodward Avenue Complete Streets master plan, which will cover 27 miles, could be the single largest Complete Streets planning effort ever undertaken in North America.” 

Upcoming Complete Streets meetings in other communities include: 

• Birmingham/Bloomfield Hills – May 20-22 
• Bloomfield Township/Pontiac – June 3-5 
• Pleasant Ridge through Berkley – June 10-12 
• Downtown Detroit through Highland Park – June 17-19 

Source: Woodward Avenue Action Association