Plans are currently being formulated for a re-design of downtown Plymouth.
Downtown Plymouth Development Authority (DDA) Director Sam Plymale said city officials are actively seeking public input into a major streetscape overhaul, set to begin early next year. A final design plan is scheduled to be presented to members of the city council this spring, Plymale said.
The last upgrade to the original streetscape designed in 1995 took place in 2010.
A streetscape upgrade design was listed as a top priority in a 5-year strategic plan adopted by the DDA in 2024. The DDA entered into contract with SmithGroup design firm in August 2025 to facilitate a community engagement campaign, create plans for design and phased implementation.
The project is called DTPForward .
The current plan will remove street trees and upgrade underground utilities, Plymale said. Other options include widening sidewalks, speed management, bump outs, creating curb-less streets, improving bike paths, and addressing parking needs.
"Most of our street trees are past their life span. We're going to have to start tearing out some of these trees and with that becomes redoing the areas where the trees are," Plymale told a WXYZ reporter last week.” He added that the DDA has been seeking community input on the project for several months. He added that several varied opinions have been expressed so far but the most prevalent complaint was the lack of parking downtown.
Some residents are encouraging the renovations while others do not want anything about Plymouth changed. Plymale said any changes to the downtown infrastructure would “respect the historic nature of the downtown.”
The DDA will have a booth at the upcoming Plymouth Ice Festival Jan. 31 through Feb.2. to solicit resident opinions, Plymale said. More information and a resident survey will be available online at downtownplymouth.org.
