DETROIT – Construction along Livernois Avenue had put a huge squeeze on businesses in Detroit.
It’s a one-mile stretch of Livernois that’s home to boutiques, bars and trendy nightspots. After dealing with construction for nearly a year, the avenue on Detroit’s west side will soon be able to say goodbye to all those orange barrels.
Business owners said the construction really hurt their businesses. In August, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan admitted the situation was worse than expected. The area at 7 Mile Road and Livernois Avenue was a giant construction zone and businesses started asking for help. The city offered business loans to those seriously inconvenienced.
Three Thirteen Clothing store owner Clement Brown Jr. said it’s a huge difference.
The Livernois Streetscape Project been a long time coming, but the multi-million dollar investment is finally done. The sidewalks are much wider, there’s new lighting and business owners are more than happy the construction has finished.
Traffic seems to be going a lot faster on Livernois. Depending on who you ask, that could be a good or bad thing.
Aliyah Thomas, an employee of Noni’s Sherwood Grill loves the results of the process, but has heard complaints from neighbors about patrons being confused on where to park their cars.
But overall, people seem to agree that the benefits outweigh the cons.