This $12.5 million award builds on nearly $50 million Detroit has already received over the past two years for addressing dangerous streets across the city. The focus has remained clear—save lives by making the streets safer. Gratiot Avenue, with its long history of accidents, stands as one of the most dangerous corridors in the city. This funding targets that specific danger, and the project is set to kick off in spring of 2026.
Sam Krassenstein, Chief of Infrastructure for the City of Detroit, speaks to the significance of this milestone. “The City of Detroit is thrilled to receive this latest Safe Streets award to make immediate safety improvements on Gratiot. This additional $12.5M in funding from USDOT and the State of Michigan will go directly towards reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities along this dangerous corridor.”
What’s happening on Gratiot isn’t a one-off project, in actuality it is part of a larger movement toward making Detroit’s streets safer for everyone. The city’s Safe Streets for All initiative is backed by a commitment to Complete Streets and Vision Zero, concepts that aim to make transportation accessible and safe for all—no matter how someone gets around. This includes children walking to school, families riding bikes, and everyday Detroiters commuting to work.
Robust public engagement helped push this funding forward, as community voices echoed the need for real change along Gratiot Avenue. Matt Galbraith, MDOT Metro Region Planning Manager, notes the importance of these community-driven efforts. “These safety improvements on Gratiot Avenue reflect our commitment to improving the quality of life for residents and support for businesses along the corridor.” Public involvement played a critical role in shaping the vision for a safer Gratiot, and the results will benefit everyone living and working along that stretch of road.
Gratiot Avenue has seen a troubling amount of pedestrian accidents in recent years. The new funds will allow for a range of safety measures, including better crosswalks, clearer lane markers, and a redesigned street that calms traffic to reduce speeds. The goal is simple—fewer crashes, fewer injuries, and fewer deaths.
For Christina Peltier, the City of Detroit’s DPW Deputy Director of Complete Streets, this funding represents a crucial step toward a safer future for Detroit. “The SS4A grant will be a critical resource for us as we work to improve the safety of our transportation infrastructure,” she says. “We will be focusing on implementing proven safety countermeasures and we are committed to using these funds to make a real difference in the lives of our residents.”
Detroit’s streets have not always been built with safety in mind, and that has had real consequences for the city’s residents, particularly in Black and Brown communities. This new funding is about righting past wrongs and ensuring that all Detroiters, especially those most affected by unsafe streets, have the right to move freely and safely in their own city.
The changes coming to Gratiot are part of the larger Streets for People (SFP) Transportation Master Plan, which began in 2018 and was completed in 2022. This plan represents Detroit’s first comprehensive effort to rethink transportation for everyone, with a focus on accessibility and safety. Streets for People is about creating a city where everyone can get to where they need to go, no matter how they travel.
The funds will help reshape Gratiot in a way that reflects the city’s vision of safe and equitable transportation. These updates are necessary for the city to address long-standing issues with pedestrian safety and the overall functionality of Gratiot Avenue. The city has been clear about its goal to eliminate traffic deaths, and these funds are a big step toward that vision.
For the people of Detroit, yes, this $12.5 million investment is about new street signs or paint on the road, but it also ensures that everyone—whether walking, driving, or cycling—can do so safely. It’s about creating a city where families can feel secure walking down the street, where commuters aren’t risking their lives to get to work, and where transportation is designed with all people in mind.
As the city moves forward with these plans, Detroiters can look ahead to a future where streets like Gratiot Avenue are no longer symbols of danger, but places where everyone can feel safe. The changes will take time, but with continued investment and the ongoing work of community members and city officials, Gratiot will become a corridor that serves its people, not one that puts them at risk. The funding is here, the plans are set, and the city is ready to make Gratiot safer for all who use it.
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