Orchard Lake Road Under Phoenix Center Now Re-opened in Pontiac
(Crystal A. Proxmire, July 4, 2014)
The City of Pontiac re-opened Orchard Lake Road going under the Phoenix Center on Thursday morning. The stretch of road going under the defunct Phoenix Center had been closed since fall of 2012 due to vandalism.
Pontiac struggled under emergency financial management during that time.
Current Mayor Deirdre Waterman sees the re-opening as progress for the city. “Reopening this stretch has been a priority of my administration, in order to ease the burden on our Pontiac citizens. It took some effort to resolve the safety and budget difficulties, but this will certainly make life easier for our residents and visitors to get around town,” said Mayor Waterman.
The tunnel reopening follows a recommendation from the City’s Building and Public Works departments, which have confirmed that the repaired lighting in the tunnel has been inspected and is fully operational. The tunnel reopening does not resolve the dispute with Ottawa Towers.
This decision comes just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, facilitating improved travel during the holiday. Pontiac also participates in the annual Woodward Dream Cruise as one of its signature events – the reopening will assist both Dream Cruise event planners and participants alike.
The Orchard Lake Road / Auburn Road thoroughfare is one of the few major roads that traverse Pontiac in the East-West direction.
The future of the Phoenix Center is unclear as the City and the owners of the adjacent office buildings are in a court battle over whether the city can tear down the complex or not.