Jefferson East, Inc. to break ground on Jefferson-Chalmers Streetscape Project

East side nonprofit aims to improve safety of historic commercial district

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - The Jefferson Avenue Streetscape Project signals a new era for development in the east Jefferson corridor - and Jefferson East, Inc. is closer to establishing East Jefferson Avenue as one of Detroit's most modern and safe thoroughfares.

Beginning Wednesday April 1, 2015, contractors for the City of Detroit will break ground on a project that will install five landscaped islands to Jefferson Avenue. Construction will take place in the middle lane of East Jefferson Avenue, between Lakewood Street and Alter Road, and is scheduled to be completed by June 15, 2015.

Later in the year, crews will repave the aforementioned section of Jefferson and bike lanes and a dedicated parking lane will be installed, leaving two vehicle travel lanes in each direction.

Jefferson Avenue will remain open during construction, only requiring the use of the inside travel lane during installation of the islands.

Joshua R. Elling Executive Director at Jefferson East said, “The Jefferson-Chalmers intersection had one of the highest number of vehicle/pedestrian collisions along east Jefferson avenue. These improvements will not only make it safer for pedestrians, but work to help attract new businesses to the historic Jefferson-Chalmers business district and continue the revitalization of Detroit. A big thank you to our friends at the City of Detroit and our funders – SEMCOG’s Transportation Alternatives Program, the Community Foundation for SE Michigan, the Kresge Foundation and the DTE Energy Foundation. As Mayor Duggan is oft to say – “Every Neighborhood has a future” – and these improvements a vital part of the future of the Jefferson-Chalmers Neighborhood and the east Jefferson corridor. We look forward to marching these improvements to the west through the Marina District, the Villages and Rivertown!”