The City of Brighton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is set to begin a roughly one-year City of Brighton Streetscape Project to modernize all streets, sidewalks and infrastructure in Brighton’s downtown area.
While the streetscape modernization is anticipated to begin in April, the City of Brighton begins work Monday, Jan. 9, on a 3-month water main replacement project on Main Street from Grand River to South 2nd Street. The water main work is anticipated to last through the end of March, and the work will require intermittent lane closures and detours. All businesses downtown will remain open throughout the construction.
The water main replacement will cause the south side of Main Street to be closed from Grand River to South 2nd Street. Westbound traffic will be maintained, but eastbound traffic will be detoured to South 3rd Street and Brighton Lake Road. The intersections of Hyne Road and Main Street, as well as West Street and Main Street, will also be closed. There will be lane closures on Grand River Avenue when crews are making the connection between the new and existing water main. A minimum of one lane will be open both north and southbound throughout the project.
The Streetscape Project improvements beginning in April are anticipated to last through November 2023. In addition to the replacement of 100-year-old water lines and new underground utility lines, downtown Brighton will see many changes, such as improved crosswalks, modernized LED lighting, bicycle parking areas, beautiful landscaping and wider, ADA-compliant sidewalks. Giffels Webster, a civil engineering and community planning firm, is managing the redesign.
DDA Chairman Tim Corrigan said one of the DDA’s biggest priorities in the streetscape project was the safety of the general public, with particular attention to ADA compliance.
“We want Brighton to be a safe, inviting place to work, shop and dine,” Corrigan said.
Numerous Brighton area nonprofit organizations and community members praised the DDA for its efforts on addressing safety concerns, especially for disabled community members and senior citizens utilizing the downtown shopping district.
Mark Hymes, program coordinator for the Livingston County Center for Independent Living, said the City of Brighton Streetscape redesign will help make the downtown area more welcoming, accessible and safe for people with disabilities.
“The new smoother sidewalk design will reduce tripping hazards, and crossing the street will be much safer with the implementation of the new crosswalks, new signals and more accessible tactile markers,” Hymes said. “I look forward to a more inclusive downtown Brighton where I can spend my time and support local businesses.”
Longtime Brighton resident Isabella Mansfield reflected on the upcoming Streetscape Project, having been a manual wheelchair user for 30 years.
“By repairing the sidewalks and removing many of the current barriers on the streetscape, Main Street will be that much safer for all — from families pushing strollers to toddlers who don’t yet know to watch out for trip hazards, to folks with visual impairment and those with mobility aids like canes, walkers, crutches or wheelchairs, and anyone who just wants to enjoy the beauty of Main Street in all seasons,” Mansfield said. “These improvements will benefit young and old, disabled and non-disabled.”
Kathleen London, owner of London Beauty, said that as a business owner in downtown Brighton she has found Main Street a great fit for her business, and she was thrilled to hear that Brighton was investing in updates for the street. “One of the challenges I am constantly facing is access and safety issues for my clients,” London said. “Creating walkability, a safe community gathering place, and a slower traffic flow that prioritizes stopping and staying is necessary, not optional. What worked 20 years ago does not work now, and I very much believe in the growth of our downtown and am looking forward to all the changes to come.”
Once completed, the Brighton Streetscape Project is expected to result in a major economic boost to merchants, especially along Main Street.
“The DDA has had a keen eye on the economic benefit that the Streetscape Project will produce,” Corrigan said. “It will enhance the attractiveness of our downtown and make it a desirable place for people to congregate, shop and explore the many options we have to offer. This will also be a catalyst to attracting new businesses that will want to set up shop in downtown Brighton.”
