MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich — The proposed Shoreline Drive road diet project in Muskegon will not move forward at this time. The city confirmed the decision and on Friday residents shared their thoughts on the potential impact of the project’s cancellation.
Michael Brower, Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Pigeon Hill Brewing Company, weighed in on the matter.
“As a business owner, I would say I was more or less ambivalent,” he said. “But as a downtown resident, who is a fairly active runner and pedestrian, I did like it.”
The road diet plan, which was introduced in 2022, aimed to narrow the road while creating a safer connection between Downtown Muskegon and the lakeshore. Divided into two phases, the first phase was set to begin in Oct. 2022. If implemented, the project would have significantly impacted pedestrians and runners like Brower.
Brower explained the safety concerns the project was designed to address.
“Having the road diet certainly helped. It can get a little dicey crossing that, especially this time of year, cars slide, people slide. Having a little bit slower, thinned-down, or, I guess, squashed together traffic is safer,” he said.
While the road diet was intended to connect main highways to the lakeshore, some business owners in the area did not see it affecting them directly. However, for pedestrians and cyclists, the impact would have been more substantial.
As Brower pointed out, "We have an amazing bike trail that connects our water all the way up to Heart, and Shoreline Drive really is the biggest obstacle between downtown Muskegon and this bike trail that runs along the waterfront."
The city has decided to halt efforts on this initiative for now. However, officials noted that the process has provided valuable insights into traffic patterns, which will be helpful for future road planning and improvements.
