City of Ferndale

300 East Nine Mile Road

Ferndale MI 48220
248.546.2360
www.ferndalemi.gov

Kara Sokol
Ferndale Communications Director
248-336-4133
ksokol@ferndalemi.gov

Jan. 11, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘Woodward Moves’ Improvement Project Receives Green Light, Grant Funding

The City of Ferndale, in partnership with the City of Pleasant Ridge, has been awarded a $2.34
million Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for their Woodward Moves pedestrian
safety project.

The grant—one of the largest ever awarded to a local community—will be funded by $2.34M in
federal dollars administered jointly by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), through TAP. Matching grant funding
will come from the Cities of Ferndale ($1.23 million) and Pleasant Ridge ($140k) via Michigan
Act 51 dollars generated by state taxes on gasoline and vehicle registrations.

The Cities of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge have collaborated closely with MDOT on the
Woodward Moves traffic calming project, aligning it with prescheduled State repaving work to
conserve resources and reduce downtime. The project seeks to create a more inclusive, safe,
and accessible experience in Ferndale’s downtown and along the stretch of Woodward
between I-696 and 8 Mile Rd., including the reduction of a travel lane on each side of
Woodward, priority improvements to alleyways and sidewalks, shorter pedestrian crossings,
parking-protected bike lanes, improved visibility at intersections, and new ADA ramps.

“This is three years and multiple partner agencies in the making, and I’m so excited that we’re
finally able to make this announcement,” said Ferndale Mayor Melanie Piana. “We’ve had a
community-supported vision for years of a safer Woodward, a road that supports all users and
unites our downtown rather than dividing it. We’re now one step closer to achieving this goal.”

Ferndale Director of Community and Economic Development Jordan Twardy thanked the
Ferndale community and partners for their engagement and support.

“Multiple rounds of public engagement with residents and businesses as well as feedback by
city and state experts have brought us to a final concept that our community and partners
 City of Ferndale
300 East Nine Mile Road
Ferndale MI 48220
248.546.2360
www.ferndalemi.gov

believe in,” Twardy said. “We’re grateful for the strong show of support on such an important
community project.”

The next steps include finalizing designs and specifications, which will be completed by Rowe
Professional Services Company, MDOT’s current design partner for the Woodward Moves
project. Final design is scheduled to be completed in April of 2022, with initial work beginning in
late August, following the Woodward Dream Cruise, and running through November. The bulk
of the remaining work will be completed in 2023.

MDOT will host a community meeting this winter (date yet to be determined) with details
about the project’s scope, components, and timeline. Anyone with questions about Woodward
Moves can email ced@ferndalemi.gov with "Woodward Moves" in the subject line.

###