Dearborn council accepts $500,000 MDOT grant for sidewalk and pedestrian-safety upgrades

Dearborn City Council on Jan. 28 approved a Michigan Department of Transportation contract (No. 24‑5576) to accept a $500,000 grant for pedestrian pathway improvements, including raised sidewalks, increased signage and visibility striping.

The grant requires no local match, and the engineering division will prepare plans to meet MDOT contract specifications, the council heard. The mayor was authorized to execute the contract on behalf of the city, and the finance director was authorized to accept the grant when received and recognize the revenue in the city budget.

Why it matters: The funds will pay for pedestrian safety upgrades that the city identified for implementation; the lack of a local match means the upgrades will not require new taxpayer dollars for this project.

State representatives Erin Burns and Alabaz (Alamos) Farhan addressed the council during the public comment period and framed the award as a product of local‑state cooperation. State Representative Erin Burns, House District 15, said the council and mayor showed a strong commitment to making Dearborn friendlier to people who walk and bike and added the upgrades will help the city retain and attract residents. Representative Alabaz Farhan described a separate $6 million appropriation the city received for public safety and public health and credited cooperative relationships in Lansing for increasing that sum during budget negotiations.

Council action: The council approved the MDOT contract and requested immediate effect. The clerk recorded a unanimous roll call for the item.

Next steps: Engineering staff will prepare MDOT‑compliant design plans for raised sidewalks and sidewalk ramps, and the finance director will appropriate the grant revenue once the contract is executed.

Attribution: Quotes and remarks in this article are drawn from public comment and the council record as stated at the Jan. 28 meeting.