Just in time for America’s Thanksgiving Parade, M-1 Rail has completed its first phase of construction between Campus Martius Park and Grand Circus Park. And after the floats, clowns, and spectators have departed on Thursday, traffic will once again be able to travel the lower Woodward corridor.
“We met our goal of installing a quarter of a mile of new track in both the north and southbound lanes of downtown in four months,” says Paul Childs, M-1 Rail’s COO. “With the exception of some minor tasks, we are done with our work in this area for the year, but will return next year for track work from State Street to Larned Street.”
Shoppers visiting downtown for Black Friday or for Small Business Saturday will be able to use Woodward to visit Detroit retailers, including several stores from the Somerset Collection in Troy as part of CityLoft, located in the First National Building. Other downtown retailers will be offering discounts and special programming throughout the holidays, including a program called Shop Detroit.
“Shop Detroit can create a significant boost for businesses along the corridor,” says Sommer Woods, M-1 Rail’s director of external relations. “We remain committed to working closely with our partners at the Downtown Detroit Partnership and Midtown Detroit Inc. to support local businesses and keep them informed about construction activities through the holiday season and into the new year.”
In Midtown, prior to America’s Thanksgiving Parade, crews will temporarily remove traffic barriers to enable parade floats and participants to move along Woodward Avenue. Immediately following the parade, crews will reinstall the traffic barriers so that work in the area may continue.
Work north of Grand Circus Park will continue Friday with activities moving full steam ahead on Monday. The reconstruction of the I-75 and I-94 overpasses will continue throughout the winter, as will DTE Energy duct bank installation and other utility relocation activities.
