A proposal to invest $125 million in bond funds to revitalize Detroit neighborhood commercial corridors was unveiled Thursday by city officials who said the idea is part of a larger $317-million plan to improve 300 miles of roads and thousands of damaged sidewalks.

Mayor Mike Duggan said at a news conference today that he plans to submit his proposal to the Detroit City Council within the next two weeks. According to the city, the bonds will be repaid through un-budgeted increases in state transportation revenue over the next several years.

"We've got money now to think strategically," Duggan said. "You can see how we're going to rebuild. ... That's the vision, that's the plan."

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Duggan and other officials said many of the city’s commercial business corridors are outdated. Duggan said the plan would help make the business districts more attractive and pedestrian friendly.

Of the $125 million in the proposal, about $80 million would fund major infrastructure improvements along some of the city's key commercial corridors, including East Warren, Livernois-McNichols and West Vernor. The remaining $45 million would add to existing road funds to improve 300 miles of city roads and replace hundreds of thousands of broken sections of sidewalk across the city.

Councilman George Cushingberry called the proposal a "very unique public-private partnership."

"This is just another unique innovation," Cushingberry said.

Duggan said the corridor improvements would include landscaping, reconfiguring traffic lanes to add bike lanes, improved street parking and in some cases, wider sidewalks to allow for outdoor café seating.

The work will involve 17 areas throughout the city:

Banglatown

Brush Park

Corktown

Delray

East English Village

East Riverfront

Eastern Market

Grand River/Northwest

I-94 Industrial Corridor

Islandview/Greater Villages

Jefferson Chalmers

Livernois & McNichols

Osborn

Rosa Parks/Clairmount

Russell Woods

Southwest/West Vernor Corridor

Warrendale & Cody Rouge

Officials said the bond sale would not impact the city's general fund.

The funds would come from increased revenues the city receives from its share of state gas taxes and vehicle registration fees that have not been included in its current road improvement plan, according to the plan.

According to the city, its annual share of state road revenue is being increased gradually over a five-year period and is expected to reach its maximum amount of $95 million in 2021.

In addition to the $125 million, the city also plans to spend another $193 million of budgeted city, state and federal dollars — equally a total investment of $317 million over the next five years to improve roads and sidewalk sections.

As neighborhood streets are repaved, the city said all identified damaged sidewalks also will be replaced. Additional inspection and complaint-based locations will be prioritized based on a variety of conditions, such as proximity to schools and parks.

Work on the streetscapes projects is expected to begin by early 2018.

Contact Katrease Stafford: kstafford@freepress.com or 313-223-4759



