The city of Sterling Heights is proud to announce the receipt of a $7.4 million federal grant through the Community Project Funding Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. This significant allocation, combined with a city match of $2.6 million, will be dedicated to transformative projects aimed at enhancing Clinton River Road, an important collector road connecting directly to M-59 and Schoenherr roads, including reconstruction, completion of sidewalk gaps with mid-block crossings and bike lane construction.
“We want to thank Congressman John James for going to bat for us and securing this critical project funding for infrastructure and sustainable development in Sterling Heights,” said Mayor Michael Taylor. “ It’s a testament to the collaborative efforts of our local community leaders and our elected representatives and advocates who helped champion this important community development project that extends beyond our city and impacts the entire area.”
Clinton River Road is integral to the community, providing direct connection for over 3,100 households to two high schools, four city parks, multiple SMART bus routes, places of workshop and four non-motorized trail networks. With funding secured, Sterling Heights will begin a two-year multi-modal corridor project to modernize Clinton River Road, elevating it into a vibrant corridor that meets the evolving needs of residents and businesses and improving access to fair and equitable transportation. The planning projects encompass a range of enhancements including:
- Roadway Reconstruction – the project will reconstruct 4.5 miles of Clinton River Road from Hayes Road to Canal Road. This reconstruction will improve pavement condition and roadway safety and includes the latest storm-water management techniques to improve water quality of the river while preserving the natural watercourse habitat for wildlife and improving the rivers use for recreational activities. The project also includes utility relocations and updated signage.
- Sidewalk Expansion – In addition to closing sidewalk gaps with mid-block crossings, at Sterling Heights’ request, MDOT will be providing sidewalk along the bridge over M53 and, for the first time, the divided corridor will be connected for all modes of transportation and recreation. The non-motorized component of this project will connect over 3,000 rooftops into the major trail networks in the area, including the Iron Belle Trail, Freedom Trail, Macomb Orchard Trail, and, soon-to-be-completed, Sterling Heights ITC trail. The ITC trail will connect residents of the community to the Northeast quadrant of Sterling Heights and the transformational Lakeside Mall redevelopment.
- Greenspaces and Beautification – the project will integrate landscaping elements and green infrastructure to enhance the aesthetics of the corridor and promote environmental sustainability.
- Bicycle Lanes – In an effort to promote health, active lifestyles as well as provide equitable access to all, a parallel bike/pedestrian pathway will be created as part of the project.
- Smart Technology Integration – the project will adopt best practices in traffic management through technology that provides optimized signal timing and improved overall efficiency.
“We know the nearly 10,000 daily users of this two-lane roadway are going to be really happy when they see the vastly improved traffic congestion and safety this project brings,” said City Development Director Jason Castor. “but we also know the 500 commercial and industrial businesses in this corridor will benefit as well. The project connects people into the North Van Dyke Corridor which is being transformed under the NVDA Master Plan created in 2021.”
In addition to these grant-funded efforts, the city has another $3.25 million in other Clinton River Road corridor improvements planned over the next two years including the development of the ITC Corridor Trail and improvements to the Edison Court trailhead area, expanding its burgeoning non-motorized transportation network.
The city of Sterling Heights extends its appreciation to the federal government for their generous support and looks forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these transformative projects.
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