Whites Rd Water Main & Reconstruction

• Project value$3,864,750 (Major Streets) 4,800,000 (Water Fund)
• Project scheduleMarch 4 - October 31, 2024

Construction on Whites Road between Oakland Drive and Westnedge Avenue will start on March 4. The street will be open to eastbound traffic only for the duration of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in late October. Westbound traffic will be detoured via Howard or Kilgore to Oakland. 

Two crews will be working on this project. One will start near Westnedge Ave and work westward. A second will start near Oakland Dr, working to complete the section near Oakwood Plaza so it can be reopened as quickly as possible (estimated to take 8-12 weeks). The rest of the street will be eastbound only until the project is completed. Drivers should be aware that there will be other traffic impacts nearby due to projects on Westnedge Ave and reconstruction of the Inkster St Bridge.  

This project is the continuation of water main replacement that started last year on a small section of Parkview Ave nearby. Work this year will include: 

• Water main replacement in the entire project area
• A "road diet" on Whites Ave from four lanes to a three-lane configuration (one lane in each direction with a center turn lane). Road diets like this have been shown to move the same volume of traffic with reduced crashes.  
• Addition of bike lanes
• Sidewalk repairs and improvements 
• Addition of curb bumpouts near Woods Lake Elementary School
• Reconstructed intersection with Bronson Blvd with new pedestrian signals and accessible ramps
• New mast arms installed at every signalized intersection 

This project is funded by the City's Water ($4.8 million) and Major Streets ($3.8 million) Funds, including federal support of nearly $1.7 million.