Ferndale, MI—The City of Ferndale will begin the West Nine Mile Reconstruction Project to improve road conditions from Woodward to Pinecrest in spring of 2027. This paving work is necessary to address deteriorating roadway conditions, as it has not been repaved since 1998. The expected service life of these repairs is 20 to 25 years. Some disruption to downtown activities is anticipated in spring and summer 2027 to accommodate this timeline.

Ferndale Pride, the annual LGBTQIA+ festival in Downtown Ferndale, will be affected by this construction. This event, held annually the Saturday after Memorial Day on West Nine Mile Road, falls within the construction area and timeline. City staff are working with Ferndale Pride organizers to resolve the conflict with the original event date. The event will now be held on Saturday, August 7, 2027, to retain the existing footprint and avoid construction conflicts.

Resurfacing the roadway will provide long-term benefits to Ferndale Pride and other downtown events by improving venue functionality and accessibility. The City greatly values the positive impact these events have on the community and will continue to work with event organizers, businesses, and stakeholders to minimize disruption during these improvements.

The Oakland County Federal Aid Committee is funding this project through the Transportation Improvement Program and the Surface Transportation Block Grant program, along with local funds. Detours may be required during construction. The Rainbow Crosswalk, a notable Ferndale landmark, will be repainted after repairs are complete. The City will provide additional project updates in the coming months.

Stay tuned for City project updates at ferndalemi.gov.

Learn more about Ferndale Pride at ferndalepride.com.

Please contact City Manager Colleen O'Toole at 248-546-2525 Ext. 101 or email cotoole@ferndalemi.gov for more information.