New traffic signal, pedestrian crossing set for summer installation in Huntington Woods

HUNTINGTON WOODS — The Huntington Woods City Commission has given its approval for the installation of a new traffic signal on 11 Mile Road.

At its Dec. 10 meeting, the commission approved 4-0 the installation of a traffic signal and pedestrian crossing at 11 Mile Road and Mortenson Boulevard. The bid was awarded to Rauhorn Electric, of Bruce Township, for a total of $379,095.50.

City Manager Chris Wilson told the Woodward Talk that the primary reason for this project was to have a new pedestrian crossing installed.

“There is no pedestrian crossing on 11 Mile between Coolidge (Highway) and Woodward (Avenue). And Berkley doesn’t provide busing for our students going to high school. So, many students need to find some safe way to cross before they get to Coolidge,” he said. “So, the main thing was having a safe, marked pedestrian crossing where people can activate a signal to stop the flow of traffic to get across 11 Mile safely.”

To help cover the costs of the installation, Huntington Woods also obtained a Safe Streets Grant from the state of Michigan in the amount of $100,000.

The project appeared before the commission at its November meeting, but its approval was delayed as the city didn’t have answers from any of the firms on their approach or commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The city stated during the meeting that it heard back from two of the three businesses that submitted bids, including its preferred choice, Rauhorn Electric.

“It’s part of our formal bid process that we ask (companies) what their DEI policies are, and if we don’t have them, you know, if they’re working toward that,” Wilson said. “We had not received the information from the original bid. That information was provided, but there’s nothing specific that we look for, any specific metrics regarding DEI that we use at this point. We’re just reviewing the policies and the firms that do provide bids for us.”

The city expects that construction work on the traffic signal and pedestrian crossing will begin next summer and be completed before the beginning of the school year.

“I’m satisfied with the response (from Rauhorn Electric),” Mayor Pro Tem Joe Rozell said during the meeting. “This makes a lot of sense in that … it protects the children crossing to go to school. It also allows our Public Safety Department to control this traffic signal so they can get a fire engine out onto 11 Mile as quickly as possible, if needed. So there’s a lot of benefit to this and we’re getting some state grant money, a legislative appropriation, so I’m all in favor.”