Gratiot Avenue’s $12.5M Transformation Brings Safer Streets for Detroiters

Gratiot Avenue has long been a dangerous road for the people of Detroit. With over 2,500 crashes in just four years, 38 lives lost, and nearly 100 pedestrians struck, the statistics paint a picture of a street in desperate need of transformation. Now, with $12.5 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the State of Michigan, that change is coming. This latest grant will go toward making Gratiot, from 8 Mile Road to downtown, safer for everyone who uses it—whether they are walking, driving, or riding. 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...