Berkley Adds Two Crosswalks to Coolidge
(City of Berkley, Dec. 27, 2017)
Berkley, MI – In an effort to improve pedestrian safety and continue making Berkley a more walkable community, two new crosswalks were installed on Coolidge Highway between 11 Mile and 12 Mile roads.
The crosswalks were added as part of the Complete Streets policy adopted by the Berkley City Council in 2010. The policy establishes multi-modal transportation guidelines for road improvement projects.
“These crosswalks will significantly change the feel of the business district,” said Vivian Carmody, Executive Director of the Berkley Downtown Development Authority. “They will not only make it much safer for pedestrians to cross Coolidge, but they’ll also act to calm and slow traffic.”
One crosswalk was added at Earlmont and Coolidge, near the Berkley Public Library. The other was installed at Dorothea and Coolidge, just north of Berkley High School.
The two projects meet ADA requirements and include crosswalk markings, new sidewalk ramps and advanced warning signs. Pedestrian crossing signs will also be added to alert motorists.
“I am grateful to the DDA for implementing this project both as a city official and as the father of two young children,” Berkley City Manager Matt Baumgarten said. “These crosswalks will serve areas along Coolidge where we don’t have safe, readily available crossings.”
The total construction cost for the two crosswalks, around $81,000, was funded by the DDA. The City of Berkley contributed an additional $6,000 to the project to cover Road Commission for Oakland County review fees. Created in 1993, the DDA was established to help facilitate commercial improvements in the downtown business district. Funding for the DDA comes from commercial property owners located within the business district.