How the West was One:
West 9 Mile Project Breaks Ground
(C. Proxmire, May 3, 2013, photos: DDA)
With gold-painted shovels, hard hats and smiles, City Officials broke ground on a major construction and streetscaping project for West 9 Mile. The project combines the efforts of several City departments, making sure that aesthetic improvements come along with a major water and sewer project already slated for the strip.
The DDA coined the project “How the West Was One,” using “One” to denote the increased solidarity of the Downtown Ferndale image which is expanding West of Livernois to Pinecrest. 
Below ground a major drain replacement will mean years of continued water and sewer service, with a 12 inch water main replacing the outdated 6 inch one.
Above ground there will be planters and other landscaping, wider sidewalks, new streetlights, benches, bike racks and bike lanes. The lanes of W. 9 Mile will be reduced and lined up through the intersections. A new crosswalk will be put in near CVS.
Details of the plan were approved in October (https://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/10/24/west-nine-mile-streetscape-project-approved/). The total approved cost for the project is $1,127,094. Th
e Transportation Enhancement Grant from the Federal Government is $590,134, and the DDA put in $63,517 for engineering. The remaining $473,443 is split between the Major Streets Fund and the General Fund.
The heavy part of construction is expected to begin on May 13, wrapping up with streetscape improvements to the north side of the road in July and the south side of the road in September. According to the presentation in October, most of the time W. 9 Mile will remain open, but with reduced lanes.
There will be a community open house on May 6 from 9am to noon at the DDA office, 149 W. 9 Mile for those who want to learn more.
Along with the road improvements, the W. 9 Mile Taco Bell will be rebuilt. To learn more about that project, see https://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/11/14/taco-bell-rebuilding-in-ferndale-x-2/.
In order to keep business owners and the public informed about progress on the W. 9 Mile project, the DDA will be giving updates on their website, www.downtownferndale.com, and they’ve created a Facebook Page called “How the West was One.”
