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| Artist's rendering of the proposed panels on Ford Road. |
Michigan Department of Transportation Project Manager Adam Penzenstadler revealed plans for the 1.6 section of the road from I-275 to Sheldon Road during a recent township board of trustees study session.
While Penzenstadler stressed that the main objective of revamping the boulevard was safety and the reduction of vehicle crashes in the area, OHM representative Ben Weaver described the plans as an effort to create a destination rather than just a pass-through for drivers.
The landscaping plans include the installation of acrylic panels of assorted sizes in the median, explained Weaver, who worked with the members of the township boulevard subcommittee to design the area.
“We're looking to make the Ford Road corridor more of a destination than a place people simply pass through,” Weaver told the trustees. “The panels provide a nice pop of color and can be tailored to fit each individual block. They could be used to promote the township's way-finding elements.”
Trustee Sommer Foster who worked with the landscape subcommittee said they had been working on the design since May 2021.
“Our priorities were for low-maintenance landscaping and to give the Ford Road corridor more of a modern look; we want people to know they're in Canton as soon as they enter the corridor,” Foster said. “At first I was concerned with the panels, but I feel they will really work out well and improve the feel of the corridor.”
Weaver assured the trustees and those in attendance that the panels would not interfere with motorists' visibility. He said the panels would be installed in a way to prioritize safety. In addition, Weaver said, all the landscape plantings would be native and easy to maintain.
The project is not expected to be complete until 2024 or 2025 explained Canton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Coordinator Amy Hamilton. She said the DDA will be responsible for the landscaping aspect of the boulevard.
“The acrylic panels are something that can't be found in other cities and townships around here so it would be a distinctive feature that people would identify with Canton,” she added.
