Note: The following are preliminary plans of future phases only, and not yet to design base plan.



Following a thorough analysis of the impacts and benefits of the various Practical Alternatives, the Steering Committee has identified the Preferred Alternative. The proposed improvements comprising the Preferred Alternative include:
  1. A 6-lane boulevard on Orchard Lake Road
  2. A 4-lane boulevard on West Maple Road
  3. A 3-lane roadway on 14 Mile Road
  4. Widening of Daly and Powers Road between Orchard Lake and West Maple to 4-lane and constructing a curve at their intersecting point near the U.S. Post Office. This road will function as a low-speed bypass of the Orchard Lake/West Maple Road intersection.
  5. Modern roundabout intersections at:
    1. 14 Mile Road Intersections: Haggerty, Halsted, Drake, Farmington, and Orchard Lake Roads
    2. West Maple Road Intersections: Haggerty, Halsted, Drake, Farmington, and Orchard Lake Roads
    3. Orchard Lake Road and Powers Road
  6. Signalized intersections at:
    1. West Maple Road and Daly Road
    2. Northwestern Highway and Orchard Lake Road
    3. Northwestern Highway and 14 Mile Road
  7. Elimination of the Orchard Lake Road service drives
  8. Reconfiguring driveway access to project roadways to improve safety and traffic flow
  9. Construction of pedestrian safety paths on both sides of all project roads
  10. New SMART bus stop locations

The Preferred Alternative is expected to significantly reduce traffic delays currently being experienced by drivers in the project area. In addition, the boulevards and roundabout intersections will reduce the number and severity of crashes, thereby providing much safer roads.Details about the impacts and benefits of the Preferred Alternative are addressed in the Environmental Assessment (EA) that was prepared. The EA was made available to the public prior to the formal Public Hearing. The Public Hearing was held April to early May of 2001.Detailed plans of the Preferred Alternative can be viewed or downloaded by clicking on one of the 21 boxes below. Plans are in Adobe Acrobat.

Preferred Alternative