Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Awarded Grant to Launch Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Campaign

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Awarded Grant to Launch Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Westland, MI (March 25, 2019) - The City of Westland was recently awarded a grant from the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) for $20,462 to organize and promote a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Campaign. This campaign is intended to grow the attention of residents on non-motorized transportation.

The city's required match for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Campaign will be $4,538 with the acquired grant from the State of Michigan. In November 2015, Michigan enacted new laws to enhance funding for the state's transportation system. This included increasing fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees which began on January 1, 2017, and transferring existing state funds to transportation purposes which started in 2019.

This multifaceted educational campaign will be focused around Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Week and contracted to OHM for planning, organizing, and initiating. The campaign will be dedicated to raising awareness to bicycle and pedestrian safety. Activities will include an organized bike tour open to the public along with digital and hardcopy materials to be promoted at local businesses, municipal buildings and City of Westland social media sites.

As the use of non-motorized transportation options continues to increase throughout the region and the City, so will the sharing of roadways with motorists,"commented Mo Ayoub, Westland's Director of Planning. "Therefore, the City of Westland in conjunction with OHM Advisors and local stakeholders will proactively use this grant opportunity to develop, launch, and implement the City of Westland's first ever Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Campaign."

For more information, please call the Mayor's Office 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 Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 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 of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 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.

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.