Canton to improve most dangerous driving location

Intersection averages most car crashes per year in our area

CANTON, Mich. – If you've driven in Canton, you know the intersection at Haggerty and Ford Roads near I-275 gets very busy. In fact, it averages the most car crashes per year in our area.

The I-275 and Ford Road interchange sees about 50,000 vehicles per day.

"(There's) kind of a lack of an opportunity for people to get off the highway at any place other than Ford Road," Canton Township Supervisor Philip LaJoy said.

LaJoy has proposed a $5 million project to reduce congestion in that area.

"Phase one is paving Lotz," LaJoy said. "And by paving Lotz Road, which is a little bit to the east of 275, you're going to get a lot of the traffic that's going to avoid Ford Road from within Canton wanting to get on the highway."

Lotz Road definitely needs the work. Between Cherry Hill and Ford Road, Lotz is covered with potholes and bumps.

"I've got a Lincoln here that broke all its suspension driving up and down this road," said Roger, who lives on Lotz Road. "And I have no alternative, I live here. Other people can go somewhere else, but I'm stuck coming up and down the road."

Roger says he'll welcome more traffic on the road if it means smoother pavement outside of his house.

But Lotz is only the first step. There's a phase two.

"From Lotz Road to Haggerty, right there around the interchange, reconfiguring movement there, widening lanes, doing things a little bit different," LaJoy said.

Finally, if the first two phases created some relief, it would leave just the final step: grass boulevards in the middle of Ford Road.

"That way, they're going to be limiting left-hand turns, so you're going to be doing a lot of the Michigan turnarounds," LaJoy said. "Which will help traffic flow much better."
LaJoy hopes the township can obtain the funds through the State and grants, but the project isn't set to kick of until 2015.