MC Commissioner Ross favors road diet plan

Officials have short window to accept MDOT offer

By Barb Pert Templeton

A Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) plan to fund a road diet along Parker Street in Marine City could soon prompt a public meeting on the issue.

A “road diet” is a low-cost technique where lanes or the width of the road are reduced to enhance safety and mobility. While not a one-size-fits-all solution, the benefits include reduced crashes and improved traffic flow, according to MDOT.

Lisa Hendrick, Marine City’s current mayor pro tem, created a Facebook post on Dec. 3 in the public group City of Marine City, Michigan – not the city’s official government page – noting Commissioner Brian Ross’ desire to see a road diet implemented.

She wrote: Commissioner Brian Ross is pushing for the road diet on S. Parker. If you want to voice your concern there may be a meeting on Dec 19th. I will keep everyone informed. This is very important to make your voices heard.

Oh, update, this will be permanent not a temporary trial run!

The post quickly picked up 46 comments with a majority of them not in favor of an MDOT plan to put in a road diet along Parker Street.

Ross brought up the road diet topic during his commissioner comments at the Marine City Commission’s Nov. 21 meeting. He said the city has the opportunity to get a free road diet from MDOT this coming spring if the commission can make a resolution by the end of the year or in very early 2025.

He said in Marine City the road diet would be along Parker Street between West Boulevard and Chartier and would bring that section from four lanes undivided to three lanes with a lane each way, a center-turn lane and buffer lanes on each side.

“The road diet is a first step in investing in the west side of town, in this side of town, in the neglected side of town, it’s worked wonders in St. Clair from an investment and pedestrian safety

perspective,” Ross said. “Please don’t look at the traffic situation up there as they have roughly double the traffic volume that we do in that stretch of road.”

Ross said he’s heard so many times that Water Street gets all the attention and where’s the attention for Parker Street.

“This is our chance to bring this type of economic opportunity to this side of town, a walkable community, one where we can easily walk to the library and walk and see that beautiful tree out front that we hope to get going here,” Ross said.

Algonac recently got a road diet and Mayor Rocky Gillis sent Ross positive things about the changes there, the commissioner added.

In Algonac a $1 million MDOT road diet was approved by a majority of the city council in June and work was done though the late summer along M-29 from Nook Road to Smith Street. The plan called for the conversion of a five-lane pavement section from the Kroger driveway to St. Clair River Drive to a three-lane pavement section. The change would make a more consistent cross section and a realignment of lanes from St. Clair River Drive for Smith Street so there are three 12’ lanes with an 8’ shoulder on the east side.

MDOT’s website states that the purpose of a road diet is to improve traffic safety by reducing and narrowing driving lanes and pavement markings which can reduce crashes due to reduced speeds and fewer opportunities for collisions.

Ross continued on at the commission meeting stating that walkability is something that’s a key metric on many business agendas and also when people are selecting a place to live.

“Everybody that kind of thought it was the dumbest idea ever has kind of changed their tune and said you know what, this is really nice,” Ross said. “So, let’s not let Marine City be a fly over community along M-29, let’s let it be a place to make your place.”

He concluded his statement by stating the commission has this issue to consider and he’d like it to be a forthcoming agenda item.

At that point Hendrick said, during her commissioner comments, that if the commission gets into the road diet issue it should be a separate meeting.

The item was not on the agenda for the Dec. 5 regular city commission meeting but it could be placed on the board’s final meeting agenda of 2024 scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19.