Another Westland project has been honored as an outstanding civic improvement.
Last week, the Shuman Sidewalk project in the city was named as the winner of the American Public Works Association (APWA) 2020 Michigan Project of the Year Award in the category of “Quality of Life Projects less than $1 Million.” Construction for the project was completed in August 2020 at a cost of $208,000. Funding for the project was provided by a SEMCOG grant through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), which aims to support intermodal forms of transportation, according to City of Westland officials.
The project included the construction of an 1,820-foot long sidewalk on the West side of Shuman Street from Palmer to Fairchild Street. Prior to the project, the existing sidewalk was only continuous on the east side of Shuman. The area was identified as a non-ADA compliant road crossing while it served as the principal access to Adams Middle School. This sidewalk construction was also identified in the city 2017 Master Plan as a priority area to increase sidewalk connectivity and walkability. The project also addressed drainage issues along the street through the installation of culverts under driveways along the road, officials said.
Construction was completed by Erie Construction, LLC based in Woodhaven and engineering was provided by OHM Advisors.
Receipt of the Project of the Year award from the Michigan Chapter of the APWA makes the project eligible for award consideration at the national level. Other Westland projects have received significant recognition over the past 5 years including: 2016: Westland City Hall, National Award Winner (Structures $5 - $25 million) for the transformation of a former warehouse to a new sustainable and contemporary city hall; 2017: Newburgh Road, Downriver Chapter Winner (Transportation greater than $5 million) for road improvements between Ford Road and Warren Road; 2018: Parkwood Bennington, Downriver Chapter Winner (Transportation less than $5 million) for road improvements and water main replacement and in 2019: Central City Park Pavilion, Michigan State Winner (Quality of Life less than $1 million) for construction of an open air timber pavilion providing 3,225 square feet of covered space
“Creating a more walkable Westland by closing gaps in the city's sidewalk network is a core component of the city's Neighborhood Makeover Program, which launched in 2017,” commented Mayor William R. Wild. “We are honored to be recognized, once again, by the APWA as this project serves as a critical component to increasing safety and walkability within the community.”
