Gratiot Avenue Access Management

One of the most dynamic and pressing challenges facing a number of Macomb County communities is transportation.  Throughout the county, region, and state transportation stakeholders are beginning to realize that in most cases we are unable to support the planning, construction, and funding needed to sustain and expand our ailing transportation network.  Demands for road improvements are rising faster than available revenues and with land use changes creating the need for improvements, formal coordination between local governments, the County, and road authorities has never been greater. 

Understanding these mounting concerns and the need for collaboration the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development (MCPED), in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), has embarked on the M-3/M-19 Gratiot Avenue Access Management Initiative.


What is Access Management?

Access management is a set of techniques that state, county, and local governments can use to control access to a community’s transportation network. The process includes several techniques that are designed to:

Reduce the number of crashes and improve safety

Reduce traffic congestion

Preserve the flow of traffic

Preserve the public investment in roads

Enhance the value of private land development

Why is Access Management Important?

State, County, and local governments, as well as the private sector can greatly benefit from policies that look to coordinated the efficient relationship between land use and transportation.

Demands for road improvements are rising faster than available revenues and with land use changes creating the need for improvements, the need for formal coordination between local governments, the County, and road authorities has never been greater.

Scope of the Project

Spanning form 8 Mile Road in the south to County Line Road in the north Gratiot Avenue traverses nine Macomb County communities: Eastpointe, Roseville, Clinton Township, Mount Clemens, Macomb Township, Chesterfield Township, New Haven, Lennox Township, and the City of Richmond. 

Given the length of the corridor, the number of communities involved, and the differing characteristics along the corridor the Gratiot Avenue Access Management Initiative proposes a number of unique challenges and opportunities.  In order to expedite some of those challenges and ensure the effective implementation of this initiative MCPED, MDOT, and SEMCOG have divided the analysis into two separate but similar, simultaneous, and coordinated processes. 

Utilizing M-59 as the line of demarcation the Corridor has been divided into northern and southern segments.  The vision for the southern segment will focus on retrofitting the existing urban landscape to accommodate access management techniques, while the vision for the northern segment will focus on proactively addressing growth before it occurs to minimize future problems.  Both visions will be developed and enacted by two steering committees, one for each segment, which will be comprised of representatives from each community along the corridor, MCPED, the Road Commission of Macomb County, SEMCOG, and MDOT.

Status

LSL Planning Inc has been selected as the consultant for the initiative.  Work is expected to begin in October 2008 and take 12 months to complete.  Representatives from the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development have met with corridor communities and developed Memorandums of Understanding showing support for the project and committing to implementation of plan recommendations.

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