Downtown Ferndale unveils $730,000 wayfinding and sidewalk-repair plan, design work and public input begin

Downtown Ferndale has launched a roughly $730,000 initiative to upgrade pedestrian wayfinding and repair damaged sidewalks in the downtown district, organizers said at a public information session.

"We are talking tonight about a significant project through Downtown Ferndale... wayfinding and sidewalk improvements," said Jenny Beaker, executive director of Downtown Ferndale, who opened the meeting and outlined the project's goals and schedule. The plan combines $438,000 from the DDA with a $292,000 match through Main Street Oakland County and a separate $50,000 City of Ferndale contribution earmarked for signage.

The project aims to improve accessibility, navigation and the downtown aesthetic while preserving space for public art and honoring Ferndale's centennial. "This is going to improve the accessibility, navigability, and mobility throughout downtown," Beaker said, adding that the DDA is initiating community input sessions and stakeholder meetings and expects design concepts in the coming months.

Merge, the environmental graphic design firm selected through a public procurement, will lead the design and documentation. "We will put together the documentation and specifications, so that the city can send that out and get bids from qualified vendors," said John Bozzio of Merge, who stressed the firm prepares design, programming and bid documents but does not fabricate or install signs.

Merge showed examples of wayfinding tools used in other communities, from monumental gateway elements to pedestrian kiosks and modular street and bike signs. The firm highlighted parking signage and clear numbering systems as priorities for Ferndale and described options for solar-powered, updateable e-paper kiosks for pedestrian information and events.

Beaker and Merge emphasized the project will be phased: the master plan will consider citywide wayfinding, but initial implementation is limited to the downtown area, starting on 9 Mile. The sidewalk component will focus on replacement of damaged 5-by-5 concrete "flags" and targeted structural adjustments where feasible; Beaker said property owners remain responsible for sidewalks outside the downtown and the DDA will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and engineering consultant Giffels Webster.

During Q&A, a resident asked whether heated sidewalks were being considered; Beaker said that is outside the scope and budget for this project and that installing heating infrastructure would require much larger work. "The scope of this project is going to be replacement of damaged flags only," she said.

Organizers said the project schedule slipped by about one month but remains on track for design and public feedback in early 2026 and for installation in early summer 2026, pending bidding and contractor selection. An online wayfinding survey and additional stakeholder sessions will gather public input on sign types, locations and digital content management. For more information, the DDA provided contact info@downtownferndale.com and Beaker listed jenny@downtownferndale.com.

Next steps: Merge will complete discovery and produce schematic-design options for public review, the DDA and city will prioritize recommendations based on funding and phasing, and the city will put finalized signage packages out to bid for installation.