EASTPOINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Eastpointe City Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday night against a controversial proposal to narrow part of 9 Mile Road from five lanes to three between Tuscany Avenue and Kelly Road.
The plan, known as a "road diet," sparked years of debate among business owners and residents who said it would hurt local businesses and cause traffic backups.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report below:
"I am thrilled. Thrilled," said Alexis Cimini, an Eastpointe resident who lives near 9 Mile Road.
The proposed road diet would have reduced that section of 9 Mile Road from five lanes to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. Supporters said the plan would create more of a downtown atmosphere for Eastpointe and improve safety.
But Cimini said the reduction wouldn't work for the area.
"Being down to two lanes wouldn't work," Cimini said. "It would cause more accidents and it would make it harder to get on and off of a main road like I am."
Watch our February 2024 coverage: Angry residents want council to reconsider the road diet plan for 9 Mile in Eastpointe
City Council member Rob Baker, who voted against the plan, said the decision came down to listening to constituents' concerns.
"Our role is to listen to the community and those that would be impacted, and the overwhelming support was that no one was in favor or not many were in favor of the road diet," Baker said. "Listening to the residents and the business owners is what led us to vote the way that we did."
David Deronne, who owns Deronne Hardware on 9 Mile Road, has been a vocal opponent of the road diet. He spoke at Tuesday night's council meeting and expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
"It was very joyful that it went the way that it did," Deronne said. "We were anticipating that it may go that way, so certainly for the business owners, it's a win."
Watch our March 2024 coverage below: Eastpointe City Council reverses course on 9 Mile Road diet plan
Small business owner Fady Dawd also welcomed the decision.
"Finding out that there wasn't going to be no road diet, I am really pleased about that," Dawd said. "It could have hurt a lot of businesses."
"We're just ecstatic that we're staying at five lanes," Deronne said.
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