Major South End Intersection To Get Makeover

One of the busiest intersections in Dearborn’s south end is about to get a makeover, as the Michigan Department of Transportation awarded the city a grant today worth more than $300,000 to help fund the project, according to a press release.

The development will restructure Vernor-Dix business corridor, realigning the angle at which Vernor Highway and Dix Avenue intersect. Street lighting, benches, trash cans, curb ramps and additional landscaping will also be installed to improve the area’s pedestrian safety and visual appeal, the press release said.

“We will be able to create a modern, pedestrian-friendly intersection that will be safer and more attractive to residents and visitors alike while boosting our business district," Dearborn Mayor John O'Reilly Jr. said in a statement.

The Vernor-Dix intersection is in the heart of the south end, surrounded by a plethora of small business. Their patrons, coupled with heavy industrial traffic to and from the nearby Rouge Plant, make the area a busy one.

The project to improve it is in Michigan awarded federal funds today by MDOT to “enhance accessibility and safety” in the area, State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle said in a statement.

“(The improvements will) help to make communities more attractive to residents, visitors and businesses,” Steudle said.

Total costs of the project are expected to be upwards of $571,000, according to the press release. The TE grant will foot more than $342,000 of the bill, or 60 percent. The remaining funds must come from Dearborn, the state government or private investors.

"This is a great example of how a partnership between local and state government can set the stage for community improvements and economic growth,” O’Reilly said.

Now the project has been approved by the state government, the City of Dearborn and Wayne County must find contractors to complete the development, according to MDOT spokesperson Rob Morosi. After the lowest bidders are identified and selected for work, the state must approve the contracts and final plans before construction can actually begin.

"Being Aug. 11, I would image this project has the potential to start this fall," Morosi said. "It could happen, but most likely (construction) will be next year."