Clawson to wrap up streetscape project in time for holidays

Thursday, November 11, 2010 | Source: Metromode

Clawson's downtown streetscape project is in the home stretch, with only the finishing details to go before winter sets in.

Clawson Downtown Development Authority director Joan Horton says the project could wrap up as early as next week, with brick work and some other fine-tuning still yet to be done. Several dozen cement planters will be installed as soon as the ground beneath is complete, and trees and bike racks are in place. Behind-the-scenes components, such as irrigation, are also being double-checked.

"One good thing about it not all happening at once is that you appreciate every element as it appears," she says. "We've gotten great feedback. People like the lights. They're happy to see bike racks in, the trees back in. The business owners love it because of the expanded parking."

As an indirect result, several proprietors have updated their street-facing storefronts, since people are now using the front doors more frequently. Although it's too late to actually plant anything in the planters, next spring should bring about the flowers and green trees.

Horton says she'd like to look at LED lights down the line, having purposely selected lightposts that could be easily retrofitted.

"We'd like to see more walkable community, more bike-friendly, so we have some plans to get that in place," she says. "We would like to see some mid-block crossings, so people can cross at places other than 14 Mile and Main. As with anything there's always more steps -- it grows and it changes so there are always additional things we want to do."

Improvements also included repairing sidewalks and reducing some curb cuts. The $1.2 million project is being funded in part by $760,398 in recently awarded federal Transportation Enhancement funding. For updates, click here.

Source: Joan Horton, director of the Clawson Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Kristin Lukowski