MDOT will conduct a public hearing on January 11, 2005 on the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Proposed Replacement of the Fort Street (M-85) Bridge over the Rouge River. The hearing will be held at the Kemeny Center, 2260 S. Fort St., Detroit, a handicapped accessible facility. In order to allow easier participation for those in the study area, the public hearing will take place continuously from 3:30 to 7:30 PM. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to comment for the record on the preferred alternative for replacing the historic drawbridge and improving the intersection of Fort Street and Oakwood Boulevard.

The "open forum" style public hearing will allow the public to gather information on the project and express their concerns on a one-to-one basis. Participants may stop by any time during the scheduled hours to view displays and talk with MDOT representatives regarding social, economic and environmental concerns, engineering and design, real estate, and other related issues.

A court reporter will be available for persons wishing to make a statement or comment about the project and have it included in the transcript of this public hearing. Citizens also can fill out a comment form and deposit it into the comment boxes at the public hearing site. Comments also can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to:
Robert H. Parsons,
Public Hearings Officer,
Bureau of Transportation Planning,
Michigan Department of Transportation.
P.O. Box 30050,
Lansing, Michigan 48909;
Fax: (517) 373-9255; or email: parsonsb@michigan.gov.
Comments must be postmarked on or before February 11, 2005, to be included in the transcript of the hearing.

Brochures summarizing the EA and a review copy of the EA are available on this Web site or at the at the following locations:

• City of Detroit Library, 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit;
• City of Detroit Neighborhood City Halls at 2300 S. Schaefer, Suite 4 and 7744 W. Vernor, Detroit;
• MDOT Detroit TSC, 1400 Howard St., Detroit;
• MDOT Metro Region Office, 18101 W. Nine Mile Rd., Southfield;
• and MDOT Planning Bureau, 425 W. Ottawa St., Lansing.

For more information on this public hearing or to request a copy of the Environmental Assessment, write to the above address or call (517) 373-9534. With an advance notice of seven days, MDOT can make most of the materials for this hearing available in alternative formats such as large print or audiotape, and can make accommodations for sign language interpretation and/or assisted listening devices. Please call 517-373-9534 to request accommodations.

Contact the Study Team:

mdot-fortstreetbridge-study@michigan.gov