MUSKEGON, Mich. — The controversial 'road diet' study on Shoreline Drive in Muskegon has ended, with both lanes in both directions now open.
While the study has concluded, the city says they are now going to put together the data that was collected to assess potential future projects around Shoreline Drive and Muskegon, but some believe that the city's efforts are misguided.
"We have gathered a lot of data throughout the pilot, both hard numbers, traffic counts, and things like that, and then a lot of feedback from the public," said Dan VanderHeide, Director of Public Works for the City of Muskegon. "As we move forward, we're going to talk with MDOT, the owner of Shoreline Drive, and some of the other roads around there, about what that corridor could look like in the future."
VanderHeide says that the data from the study shows that Shoreline Drive would be able to function as a single lane road in both directions, as the city considers ideas on how to re-utilize the space in the area.
"We could perhaps have additional parking, we could perhaps have additional park space, things like that, and sort of make the Shoreline Drive corridor a more pleasant place to be," said VanderHeide.
However, many residents feel that these efforts are misguided.
"The sad part is the city has been redone three times in the last 75 to 100 years, and it's been redone again, all at taxpayers expense," said Cheryl Wittenburg who has spent the majority of her life living in Muskegon, and is the organizer of the petition against the road diet.
Wittenburg feels that community members are not being heard.
"We need our roads, the size they are, maintained, and we need to slow down and say, ‘Hey, we're thinking about this. What do you think?’
She believes the city should use tax money to prioritize better maintaining what is already in place, along with believing that a permeant 'road diet' will not be able to accommodate the growing number of attendees of the city's events, and that overhead crosswalks would be more effective in allowing people to cross Shoreline.
"We want our tax dollars used to leave our roads alone except to maintain them. We want more crews to maintain what we already have in parks. We want affordable housing," said Wittenburg as she described the works that she says many residents would like to see.
"We're feeling very uncomfortable, untrusting and left out of the city that we pay for every day," Wittenburg added.
While understanding that the city is receiving criticism and concerns from the public, VanderHeide also expresses that there are those looking forward to what may come.
"We hear a lot of folks who are really excited about the potential for you know, other uses in the corridor, right, not just traffic, but pedestrians, bicycles, people walking and crossing shoreline drive easier," said VanderHeide.
Wittenburg says she believes the city understands that residents want a seat at the table.
"We want to work with you. We want you to understand how important this is to us. We understand your fervor. We understand you think it's better. We humbly disagree, and it's our tax money," Wittenburg said as she directed the comment to the city.
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