Elizabeth Schlueter speaks at the public forum. Alessia Sandala | Collegian

Without a quorum, citizens voiced concerns and support.

With no quorum, a special city council meeting on Sept. 10 turned into a public forum on the proposed Broad Street “road diet,” where residents expressed their concerns and support for the project. 

The discussion came after the city council approved a resolution committing $135,000 from the city toward the Michigan Department of Transportation-led infrastructure project Aug. 18. The plan will add bike lanes and slim down Broad Street from four to three lanes, with the middle lane serving as a left-hand turn lane.  

In attendance were the three council members who voted against it in August — Matthew Bentley (Ward 2), Jacob Bruns (Ward 1), and Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Paladino — and Councilman Gary Wolfram (Ward 3), who voted for it.

Supporters of the plan emphasized pedestrian safety and slower traffic through residential areas.

Broad Street resident Eric Coykendall described the dangers of living along the street. 

“While most of you get to enjoy a neighborhood street, I get to enjoy, effectively, a speedway. I lost a dog to it,” Coykendall said. “If we can narrow it and if we can slow it down, I think that can lead to better health and safety of our kids and our neighborhood.”

Hillsdale resident Elizabeth Schlueter, a mother of nine who initially opposed the plan but now supports it, echoed these safety concerns. 

“The design prioritizes pedestrians, walkability, business health, and safer driving over volume and speed of traffic,” Schlueter said. “I don’t like bike lanes, but I’d like a buffer zone that allows me to open a car door without getting it sheared off by a truck. Peeking around a car to try and cross that street if you’re not at a crosswalk is a near-death sentence, especially with kids.”

Schlueter also emphasized the project’s 97% return on investment. 

“I think it’s a good return on investment for the taxpayer,” Schlueter said. “It’s a good use and shepherding of my taxpayer dollars.” 

But for resident Ginger Novak, the project is another plan for the city to take taxpayers’ money. 

“I am not in favor of this,” Novak said. “Every time I take my eyes off the city council, they come up with a new way to pick my pocket. When you limit truck traffic on Broad Street, it’s going to go to Howell Street, and then the city council is going to charge us $5,000 in a special assessment to fix that road.”

The issue is expected to remain a focus in upcoming council meetings.

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