Chicago Street in our Downtown is both a US highway AND a State highway.  Highways are typically designed to get traffic through quickly.  But Jonesville isn't just on the way to someplace else.  It is a destination.  And it is our home.  

A couple of years ago, some local business owners started to ask if Chicago Street could look different.  Could Jonesville do what other cities have done to make their downtowns safer and easier for pedestrians to cross the street?  Could it be easier to make a left turn into or out of a business driveway?  So the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) commissioned a study.  

The engineers say it can be done.  The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is willing to work with the City to make it happen.

Check out the study results, below.  Project drawings are included there, along with video simulations of the street intersections.  There is also a summary of the comments that we received from the Open House on October 30, 2023.

Were you unable to make it to the Open House?  Or just want more information about the Road Diet project?  You will find everything you are looking for below.  Still have a question?  Contact City Hall at (517) 849-2104.

City Council Resolution of Support

• Click here to view a copy of Resolution 2023-12 in support of the Road Diet project

Summary of Comments:

• Click here to review the comments received at the October 30th Open House

Road Diet Engineering Study:

• Click here to view a copy of the Road Diet Engineering Study

Plan Drawings:

• Click here to see a Plan view of what the street will look like if the Road Diet is put in place
• Click here to see a Cross Section view of the street where there is on-street parking
• Click here to see a Cross Section view of the street where there is no on-street parking

Video Simulations:

• Click here to see video models of how the intersections will function with the Road Diet.  There are models for the First Year after the project is complete and with projections of additional future traffic in the Year 2042

The Downtown Development Authority hosted the project engineers on Monday, October 30th at the Police Department.  They demonstrated models that to show how the intersections will function.  They shared drawings of how the street could look.  They answered questions and the public had a chance to leave comments.

Did you miss the Open House?  You can still see the study results, project drawings, and intersection videos, above.  As you take a look at the plans, consider whether you'd be willing to sacrifice a few seconds of travel time if it meant that your kids could cross the street at the Middle School? Or a senior citizen could park close to the front door of a Downtown business without stepping into traffic?  Or you could continue your nature walk straight across the street, instead of detouring to the intersection? Or you could park on the street without wondering if you might lose your side mirror?

Here are a handful of articles regarding Michigan Road Diet projects:

• Tecumseh Road Diet
• Birmingham Road Diet
• Metro Detroit Projects
• MSU Extension Article

You might want to check out these fact sheets developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that provide additional information about the benefits of Road Diets and that answer common questions.

• Frequently Asked Questions about Road Diets (summary)
• Frequently Asked Questions about Road Diets (detailed)
• Myths about Road Diets
• Economic Impacts of Road Diets
• Emergency Response and Road Diets
• Road Diets near Schools

Jeff Gray, City Manager
 jgray@jonesville.org

 City Hall, 265 E. Chicago Street
 (517) 849-2104