NORTHVILLE, Mich. – Downtown Northville is once again at the center of a heated debate over the closure of Main and Center streets.
A judge issued an order on Wednesday (July 9) mandating the city to remove bollards and reopen the streets.
It’s a move that has sparked mixed reactions from residents and business owners alike.
Known as a quaint, historic small town with a popular walkable downtown area filled with small boutiques and loved local restaurants, Northville has faced division caused by bollards restricting vehicle traffic on portions of Center and Main streets.
Mary Elwart-Keys, founder of the grassroots group “Let’s Open Northville,” has been a vocal advocate for reopening the streets. She highlighted traffic issues caused by the closures.
Elwart-Keys explained, “We found that traffic was going through the residential neighborhoods, fast. People were frustrated about not being able to get downtown. School buses were diverted into the residential neighborhoods, which was really unsafe for them.”
Some business owners have said that the closures have negatively impacted their operations. Jeff Snyder, who owns a business near the intersection of West 7 Mile and South Center Street, shared his frustration.
“Traffic backs up for half a mile. So, it is very frustrating,” Snyder said.
However, many residents see the closures as having fostered a unique sense of community in the downtown area.
Laurie Johnson, a lifelong resident, stated, “So many families and businesses are very passionate about the community space that this creates.”
Her husband, Tim, added, “Northville has something unique now, which brings people to town. Without that uniqueness, I feel that a lot of businesses are not going to be successful because there’s nothing unique to Northville to bring people here.”
The judge’s ruling allows the city to maintain temporary street closures during special events, such as festivals and parades.
Yet, City Manager George Lahanas expressed disappointment in the decision, saying, “We are carefully reviewing the decision requiring the city to reopen the downtown streets as we consider our next steps.”
The judge stated that the City of Northville has seven days from the date of her ruling to comply with the court order and reopen Main and Center Streets, marking another chapter in the ongoing debate over Northville’s downtown traffic and community identity.