Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Central City Parkway Streetscape Improvement Project Set to Begin

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Central City Parkway Streetscape Improvement Project Set to Begin

Westland, MI - With the roadwork along Central City Parkway between Ford Rd. and Warren Rd. nearly complete, the streetscape beautification is set to begin. This second phase of the project is scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 13.

For the last few months there has been a revitalization underway for the portion of Central City Parkway that connects Ford Rd. and Warren Rd. The first phase of the improvements was to give the roadway a face-lift to remedy the deteriorating surface and provide safer travel, as well as to provide additional pedestrian walkways to safely cross the roadway. With this phase coming to a close, the City has shifted focus to the streetscape improvements.

Plans for the streetscape project were prepared by OHM Advisors after discussions with the City and the public were utilized to define the overall project goals and identify community needs. The plans include over 170 trees, a mix of over 1,100 ornamental shrubs, grasses and perennials, as well as a variety of additional features used to create an identity along the central corridor of the City.

"It is a very exciting project for the community, and we appreciate the opportunity to continue our relationship in working with the City of Westland," said Ben Weaver, a Landscape Architect with OHM.

The City's Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) is overseeing the project. Through a public bid process completed last month, TIFA has selected W.H. Canon Landscape Company to complete the work.

W.H. Canon mobilized earlier this week and will start work on Thursday, October 13. They plan to have the concrete poured, brick laid, and the bulk of the trees planted by mid-December of this year. They will finish the balance of plantings and the detail work next spring.

"We are excited to see this project come to fruition," commented Mayor William R. Wild. "We worked very hard to improve safety conditions, beautify the area and listen to feedback from our residents on what they would like to see."

There will be no traffic interruption during the construction of this project. The street will remain accessible to vehicular traffic, including emergency vehicles at all times.

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Western Wayne Fire Association firefighters collaboratively serving the Cities of Wayne and Westland are licensed paramedics who responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds if shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more that 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

Westland's philosophy is that government should embrace good business principles. Providing oversight over the City's operating budget of $60 million dollars, Westland is the only community in Wayne County with a 3-year balanced budget and an approximately 10 percent budget surplus.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.