City receives $12.5M to make Gratiot corridor safer for all users

• Detroit awarded $62.5M in federal and state funding to address dangerous streets and intersections

• $12.5M awarded for Gratiot; one of Detroit’s most dangerous roadways

• 8 Mile Road to Downtown along Gratiot to be made safer for travelers

One of the most dangerous corridors in the City of Detroit is receiving $12.5M in Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant dollars from US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the State of Michigan (MDOT) Infrastructure Office (MIO). This award is in addition to the nearly $50M received from USDOT over the last two years to address dangerous streets and intersections around the City which will be rolled out this Spring.

The entire corridor of Gratiot within Detroit city limits, from 8 Mile Road to downtown, will be the focus of projects to make meaningful and lasting improvements to increase safety and reduce crashes. Between 2019 and 2023 there have been 2,542 crashes, 38 fatalities, 1,237 injuries and 93 pedestrians hit along the Gratiot corridor.'

“The City of Detroit is thrilled to receive this latest Safe Streets award to make immediate safety improvements on Gratiot.” said Sam Krassenstein, Chief of Infrastructure for the City of Detroit. “This additional $12.5M in funding from USDOT and the State of Michigan will go directly towards reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities along this dangerous corridor. We thank our partners in the community and at MDOT who have been working tirelessly with us to make Gratiot and other high-injury corridors safer for all road users.”

The SS4A grant will support the City of Detroit's commitment to the principles of Complete Streets and Vision Zero, which aim to create safe, accessible, and convenient transportation options for all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of travel. This includes implementing proven safety countermeasures

"Robust public engagement efforts contributed to this milestone for the city," said Matt Galbraith, MDOT Metro Region Planning manager. "These safety improvements on Gratiot Avenue reflect our commitment to improving the quality of life for residents and support for businesses along the corridor."

The City of Detroit is committed to using the SS4A grant to make meaningful and lasting improvements to the safety of its streets and roads and will continue to work to reduce traffic crashes and save lives.

“The SS4A grant will be a critical resource for us as we work to improve the safety of our transportation infrastructure,” said Christina Peltier, City of Detroit DPW Deputy Director of Complete Streets. “We will be focusing on implementing proven safety countermeasures and we are committed to using these funds to make a real difference in the lives of our residents."

Safe Streets for All is part of Streets for People (SFP) Transportation Master Plan, which is the first comprehensive, master transportation plan for the City of Detroit. The plan started in 2018; and was completed in 2022. The plan highlights making it easier and safer for all Detroiters to move around the city.