SOUTH LYON, Mich. (WXYZ) — South Lyon's downtown corridor is about to undergo a major transformation and disruption. Work begins May 11; however, the road closure begins May 18.
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The Road Commission for Oakland County is set to reconstruct Pontiac Trail/Lafayette Street from Nine Mile to the railroad tracks north of Ten Mile as part of an $11 million project. The work includes reconstructing a drain system, installing a storm sewer, and rebuilding the roadway that sees around 20,000 vehicles daily.
Mayor Stephen Kennedy said the funding is finally in place to address longstanding infrastructure problems thanks to federal funding.
"It's going to address a number of issues that the city, residents, and its businesses have endured for decades," Kennedy said.
Those issues include flooding and traffic flow. But the project will come with significant short-term challenges; the northbound lane will be closed to traffic, and street parking will be eliminated for months.
Work will also replace aging pavement, modernize traffic signals in 2027, and enhance pedestrian safety.
PREVIOUS REPORT: South Lyon braces for major $11 million construction project through small town
"It's gonna be trying, you're gonna need to be patient, and you're gonna need to be flexible," Kennedy said.
Business owners along the corridor are bracing for the impact while trying to stay optimistic.
Sommer Krause, who works at South Lyon Hotel, acknowledged the road ahead won't be easy.
"Long term, it'll suck for a while, but the roads will be better, and people will still come in and have some food and cocktails," Krause said.
Monica Gojcaj, co-owner of Maple House, said the timing is less than ideal; the restaurant opened just a week ago, but she's focused on what's still possible. They had a packed house on Wednesday.
"It's not ideal, we just opened a week ago, so the timing is kind of off a little bit, but it's something that has to happen. We're just grateful that you're able to access our restaurant still," Gojcaj said.
Tanya Nevitt, owner of Venue South Lyon and co-owner of Venue Next Door, said she's eager to get through it.
"We can't wait for it to start and excited for it to be done," Nevitt said.
Her biggest concern is that customers will assume the downtown is closed during construction.
"My biggest concern is that people will think that the downtown is closed when indeed [it's] going to be open during the entire construction project, and we will be very creative in making sure people will know where to find us and how to park," Nevitt said.
To help businesses navigate the months ahead, South Lyon Economic Development and DDA Director Kim Rivera said the city is actively working to provide support.
"We're actually having a downtown meeting next week, and I have a guest speaker coming in to give them practical tips on just really making the most of this season," Rivera said.
The city plans to boost events and keep the public informed that all sidewalks and businesses will remain open throughout construction. Events are still on the calendar, including one this week.
"This Friday night on May 8, we have our spring ladies night from 5-9 p.m," said Nevitt. "We have a lot of special things planned this year. We have a DJ and a photo booth, fortune tellers, caricature artists..."
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