Woodward construction complete with new bike lanes, parking spaces
FERNDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Metro Detroit commuters will find an entirely new-looking Woodward Avenue the next time they drive the M-1 corridor.
The far-right lane on both sides of the road between Eight Mile and 10 Mile in Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge has been removed and replaced with bike lanes and parking. There are also concrete dividers at some of the intersections to guide both cars and cyclists.
The pavement makeover is a couple of years in the making and represents attempts to make Woodward safer for pedestrians and cyclists who don't want to be traveling alongside vehicles.
When pitching the idea of removing a lane, the city said fewer vehicles use Woodward than in past decades and it's no longer necessary to have four lanes. The newly-designed lane will also have street parking spaces as well.
By redoing the lane, there is now more space for vehicles to pull onto Woodward without having their visibility blocked. Crosswalks will also be shorter.
Woodward Dream Cruise faces changing identity as iconic roadway loses lanes, adds other transit options
This will be the last year the Woodward Dream Cruise will be driven along four lanes of the iconic roadway. By next year, it'll look entirely different in some places.